


Power Rangers GPX, Part 2

by DChan87



Series: Power Rangers GPX [2]
Category: Power Rangers
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Original, American Character(s), Choushinesi Flashman, Disney World & Disneyland, Florida, Gen, Hispanic Character, Irish Character(s), Japanese Character(s), Lampshade Hanging, Original Character(s), Original Power Ranger Team, Original Universe, Orlando - Freeform, Partial Crossover, Partial Deconstruction, Partial Reconstruction, Science Fiction, South African Character(s), Super Sentai, United States, Veterans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-11
Updated: 2014-10-11
Packaged: 2018-02-20 18:33:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 94,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2438648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DChan87/pseuds/DChan87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the defeat of Phaedos, the GPX Rangers move to Orlando, Florida. There, a new enemy awaits them, as well as new allies... or something like that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A New Home

Power Rangers GPX, Episode 17: A New Home

[][][]

In the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, a soldier rushed to the briefing room. Most of the massive office building was calm but on alert. With the conflict with the Zordonian Empire, things were more hectic around the building. He eventually found the room he was supposed to be at and entered, saluting as he came in. There was a group of officers, all talking with one man. "…So the Rangers were able to beat one Zordonian general," said Col. Alan Greene of the United States Army. "But from what they've told me, they have three more generals to defeat. We don't know the names of these generals, but we expect them to be tough but not impossible for them to defeat."

The other officers looked at Greene, their faces showing interest. "Project Ranger" as it was called, was a partial success, at least so far. Now all that was needed was the go-ahead to continue operations, this time on American soil. They only had the approval from the Japanese government to fight on their territory, but now that the Power Rangers had relocated to Florida, it was a little more difficult. "Col. Greene," said the head general. "Having them fight in Florida is risky. Given the area, it's possible there could be some property damage."

"I understand that sir," said Col. Greene. The African-American Colonel was trying to keep his composure. He was doing okay so far. "But we need to recognize those risks. However, if property damage does occur, Project Ranger has enough funds from the UN to pay for those damages, along with the insurance those buildings have. Besides, if needed, they could fight in sparsely populated areas."

The other officers nodded their heads. It seemed like a good idea so far. But, there were still issues. "What if they get discovered?"

"To be honest, wearing brightly-colored suits isn't very discreet," said Col. Greene. "We'll have to accept that."

"I see," said the general. Another officer spoke up.

"Suppose there are civilian casualties," he said.

"Sir, my Rangers are dedicated to preventing civilian casualties," said Col. Greene. "But we also have to take them into account. This is war, gentlemen. People are going to get hurt." The other officers nodded their heads. Col. Greene was right.

"Very well then," said the head general. "We'll talk to President Obama about it. I'm sure he won't be happy, but he'll approve your plan.

"Thank you, sir."

[][][]

Down the Atlantic coast, in Orlando, Florida, an SUV pulled into the driveway of a large house. It was a Chevy, large enough to seat 8. The car stopped in the driveway and the driver got out. She was a woman, around the age of 26 with flowing brown hair down to her back. She had a petite figure and she was wearing sunglasses. "Alright, here we are," she said to the passengers.

"Finally," said the passenger in the shotgun seat. "Feels great to be back on American soil."

"I guess so, huh Sean?" She asked the young man.

"Very much," said Sean. Sean O' Callahan was his name. The woman was his older sister Bridget. Like his sister, Sean had brown hair, albeit shorter, but covered part of his ears—until he grabbed his Chicago Blackhawks cap, that is. He had a more athletic figure, since he was a hockey player and slightly taller. Like her, he had fair skin. His sunglasses shielded his eyes, but he took them off to reveal brown eyes. His face was slightly slender. "Come on, Kevin!"

"I'm coming!" Kevin O' Donnell stepped out of the van. He was bigger than Sean, along with much shorter hair, closer to a fuzz. Not only was he bigger, he was taller than him, too, close to the size of a rugby player, at least a small one. His face was slightly more rounded, and he too had brown eyes and a fair skin tome. "Ugh, it's hot!"

"Deal with it," said the woman who stepped out next. "Because I can." She was an athletic woman, albeit not uber-muscular. Maria Aparicio of Venezuela got look at Kevin with her brown eyes. Her dark brown hair flowed down a little past her shoulders. She was quite the woman to look at, as Sean put it, 'She's from Venezuela!' Her coffee-with-cream-colored skin tone glistened in the Florida sun. "Come on, Hitomi," she said.

"I'm coming!" Hitomi said as she stepped out of the van. She was shorter than Maria and more petite. Hitomi Miyazawa was her full name. She had brown eyes and black hair with brown eyes tied up in a ponytail with some bangs. He skin was pretty light, and it has been noted in the text prior that she looked kind of like a J-pop singer. Unlike Maria, she was, as the Japanese put it, "moe."

"Okay, everyone's here," said Sean. He, Kevin and Maria were wearing bandages on their arms and faces, which they had to wear due to injuries they sustained earlier. "Hey newbie!" He called out. "Get your ass out here!"

"Don't call me a newbie!" The person said with a South African twinge. "My name is Mandla!" He stepped out of the car and into the Florida sun. His head was covered in dreadlocks. Like the other Rangers, he had an athletic build and was only slightly bigger than Sean, despite being the same height. He had brown eyes and he had a dark skin tone. His full name is Mandla Ndebele.

"Whatever," said Sean. Oh, about them. Sean is an American from Chicago, Kevin is an Irishman from Dublin, Mandla is South African from Johannesburg, Maria is Venezuelan from Caracas (despite living in Rio de Janeiro for the past 3 years for reasons that won't be disclosed until later) and Hitomi is Japanese from Kyoto. All of them are 18-21 (Sean, Kevin and Mandla are 21, Maria is 20 and Hitomi is 18).

And all of them are Power Rangers.

If you want to know, let's recap: In the last part, Sean, Kevin, Maria and Hitomi (along with her brother Daisuke) were called to Tokyo for reasons they didn't understand. They were taken to an underground base operated by the United Nations. It turns out they were secretly part of what's known as "Project Ranger" and had been trained for 11 years in martial arts and other aspects without knowing.

Col. Alan Greene of the United States Army told them that they were to become Power Rangers and fight off an alien invasion. However, they were skeptical about this and reluctant to do so, despite the fact Sean was already on wanted posters in areas occupied by Swabots, the enemy foot soldiers. However, Col. Greene managed to convince them to take five bracelets. They came in handy when they got into a fight in front of Shibuya 109. After getting tossed around, Sean rallied them around him and with Col. Greene's instructions, morphed into Power Rangers and defeated the monster. Sean was the Red Ranger, Kevin the Blue Ranger, Daisuke the Green Ranger, Maria Yellow and Hitomi Pink. They made up the Power Rangers GPX.

Sometime later, they found themselves in a fight against the higher-ups of the Zordonian Empire, who (as Hitomi pointed out) had an identical appearance to the Black Moon Clan from  _Sailor Moon_. Again, they were tossed around at first before Sean again rallied them to a moral victory over the Zordonians.

A few days later, they found themselves facing the general Phaedos, who resembled another  _Sailor Moon_ villain, Jadeite. Phaedos easily defeated the Rangers and damaged their suits so bad that they had to get new suits.

The Rangers scored some victories as time went by. However, they had no idea that Phaedos was manipulating Daisuke to mutiny against Sean. Daisuke had been promised to be the leader, but that position went to Sean. So Phaedos used that anger to manipulate Daisuke.

Eventually, after a tough fight in the forest Aokigahara, Daisuke rebelled against Sean and punched him, apparently citing Japanese pride. Daisuke got Hitomi to come with him and become subservient to him, much to their shock (they eventually found out much later that she had been hypnotized and programmed with a key-phrase to become subservient to him). Daisuke and Hitomi split from the team.

Sean, Kevin and Maria, however, continued to fight together. At a village near Mt. Fuji, the three fought valiantly before being severely beaten by Phaedos, hence the bandages they were wearing, Sean and Kevin even suffered broken ribs.

With the Rangers spiritually broken, Phaedos contacted Daisuke and Hitomi and ordered them to come and face him, threatening to kill a young boy Sean had saved earlier and even raze Japan to the ground if they didn't come. Well, they came, and like Sean, Kevin and Maria, they were beaten too after fight just as valiantly. However, Hitomi was knocked out of her subservient trance and called Daisuke out for his selfish, glory-seeking actions and even his nationalistic viewpoints. However, Phaedos ordered them executed.

But just out of nowhere, Sean, Kevin and Maria came in and saved the two. The reunited Rangers morphed and fought the Zordonians in a major battle, the tide of which turned when they somehow managed to tap into the suits and were able to defeat Phaedos, Sean beating him with a slash from his GT Sword. Phaedos failed his Emperor one last time and suffered the same fate as his  _Sailor Moon_ counterpart, getting frozen in a block of ice for eternity.

After a celebration, the Rangers returned to Tokyo where not only did the Rangers reveal they were moving to Orlando, but Daisuke was quitting the team as self-punishment for his actions. A few days later, the Rangers hopped on a plane bound for Toronto where they met up with Mandla, Daisuke's replacement/fill-in and hopped on a flight to Orlando, and well, here we are!

"Come on, let's get inside!" Sean said as he picked up his suitcase and hockey bag. The others followed Bridget as she unlocked the doors and let them into the house.

"Holy cow!" said Maria. The foyer was elegant and spacious, a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "Daisuke must have good taste."

"One of the few admirable things about him," Sean snarked as he walked past. The comment earned him a look from Maria.

"Sean!" She said.

"What?" He asked as he turned around. "You know I don't like him. I begrudgingly respect him, but that's about it." Maria shook her head and put her bags down before walking into the kitchen.

The kitchen itself was brand new. It had a little island in the middle of it. The fridge was across from the island, but not within sight when the Rangers stepped in. Kevin was already checking out the pantry. The kitchen was connected to the living room, where they could put a TV. "I like it!" said Mandla. "Much better than what I had in Johannesburg."

"Much better than home," said Sean. "Right, Bridget?"

"Definitely," she replied.

"So what about our stuff?" Kevin asked in his native Irish brogue.

"Just put it upstairs," said Bridget. Duh.

"Fair enough," said Hitomi.

"By the way Sean," Bridget said. Sean, who was checking out the stove, turned to look at Bridget. "Rob should be here in an hour. I think he's bringing Tommy, Allie and Cassie with him."

"Tommy?" Sean asked. "I thought he was still in Chicago with dad!" He was referring to his 11-year-old brother Tomas (that's a Slovak variant on 'Thomas', for those who don't know). Allie is his niece, Bridget's three-year-old daughter and Cassie is Bridget's newborn daughter.

"Dad didn't want him laying around the house so he dumped him on us," said Bridget. Sean made an annoyed face before picking up his hockey bag and suitcase. "All right, we might as well pick out our rooms," he said.

A short time later, Hitomi walked into her room. It was a pretty nice room. It had a desk and an Ethernet port. Her brother certainly knew his stuff. However, as she put down her bags, something on the bare mattress caught her eye. She walked over and got a better look. She smiled when she recognized what it was. It was her Am Bow, but it looked different. It now looked sleeker and bigger than the previous one. It still had the same white/pink colors.

There was also another thing on the bed. It was a pink  _naginata-_ like weapon. Hitomi's eyes widened when she saw this. "The Mountain Staff!" She said. Her brother's old weapon had been repainted and now it was hers. She felt so excited!

Maria also found her upgraded Haz Daggers on her bed. Instead of being big knives, these were now more like small swords. She was certainly pleased with this. She gave them a little twirl as she tried them out. They felt light but not shoddy. She loved how they felt in her grip. She hacked at an invisible target to try them out. They felt incredible. She could not wait to try them.

As he looked at his bed, Mandla saw the green axe. He picked it up and got a feel for it. It was a double-sided battle axe, fairly big. It was mostly green, save for the blades. It was big, but not too heavy; relatively light. Mandla liked that and he couldn't wait to try it.

Meanwhile, Kevin got a look at his new Touring Cannon. However, it was less of a cannon and more of a big rifle now. Unlike the last one, which was shaped like a car right down to the width, this one was thinner, and easier to hold. He aimed it just for the hell of it.

Sean picked up his new GT Sword. He held it was great anticipation, excited by the very fact that he was holding a sword. Not the dinky, thin-bladed lousy excuse for a sword he had last time, but a  _sword_  sword. He gripped the handle, mostly black. Most of the hilt was red, save for some wing-like features on the cross guard, which gave the appearance of exhaust pipes on a hot rod, even painted chrome. "Looks exactly like the Master Sword," he said. "And from  _Twilight Princess,_ too! Perfect!" He was referring to the Master Sword from  _The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess_. He's a  _Zelda_ fan.

He quickly drew the sword from its scabbard and gave it a look. "It really does look like the Master Sword," he said. "Even down to the blade! I guess the UN listened to me." Instantly, he gave the sword a test swing. It felt perfect.

Sometime later, the other Rangers were gathered in the kitchen. The first four were gathered around Sean, facing Mandla. He was shaking in anticipation as Maria handed Sean a small, metal box. Sean walked over to him and handed it to the South African. "Open it," said Sean. Mandla did so and gave it a look. "This is your AcceleMorpher and AcceleKey," he said. The morpher was mostly silver, save for some red, blue, green, yellow and pink. There was a circular part of it at the top and it was rounded at the bottom. An object like a Swiss Army knife was next to it. It must be the AcceleKey.

Mandla took the morpher and key. "The morpher is strapped on your left wrist," said Sean. "There's a slot on the side of the morpher. You insert the AcceleKey into the slot. To morph, call out 'GPX, Start it Up'. This is a voice command that gets the morphing sequence started. Twisting the key activates the suit. Got it?"

"Got it," said Mandla. "So now what?"

"Get some pads on," said Sean.

[][][]

"What is this?" Mandla asked. He had been dressed in hockey pads; goalie pads, that is. He was in the street, standing in front of a goal net. Sean, meanwhile, was strapping on some inline skates. Kevin, Maria and Hitomi watched from the front door.

"Hazing!" He called out. He put on his gloves and grabbed his stick, skating out to the street. "Let's see how you react to my slap shot!"

"Why?"

"I want to see how you react under pressure," Sean replied. "Come on, it won't be that bad!"

"I'm going to regret this," Mandla said to himself. He crouched down and watched as Sean circled the ball like a hawk. Eventually, Sean took the ball on his stick and skated towards Mandla. He didn't know whether to anticipate a hard shot or a soft one.

Of course, Sean decided for him. He stopped a good distance from Mandla and raised his stick high. Mandla crouched and prepared to react. Then, Sean swung the stick hard and fired a slap shot at Mandla. He didn't have much time to react and he quickly tried to block the ball, but it ended up in the upper-right corner of the net.

Sean skated up to Mandla as he removed his goalie mask. "How you feeling?" he asked with a slight smile.

"Don't do that again," Mandla said with an annoyed tone. Sean laughed and skated off. That guy was going to be the death of Mandla.

[][][]

"We have a pool  _and_ a Jacuzzi!" Kevin said as he finished checking out the backyard.

"Nice!" said Sean. "POWER RANGER POOL PARTY!"

"I don't have my swimsuit," said Maria.

"Neither do I," said Mandla.

"Me neither," said Hitomi. So much for that plan.

"Oh well," he said. "I didn't bring mine either."

"I did," said Kevin. He looked smug as the other Rangers gave him a dirty look. "Look at me all you want," he said. "At least I was prepared."

"Asshole," Sean muttered under his breath. "By the way, where the hell is Rich Boy, anyway?" 'Rich Boy' is his not-so-nice nickname for Daisuke.

"I think he's in Kiss-i-me," Hitomi said, mispronouncing the name of the town.

"Kissimmee?" Sean asked. "So I guess he's not too far away."

"I guess so," said Maria. "By the way, what about Bridget? Where did she go?"

"She went to get some groceries," said Sean. "She'll be back soon and her husband should be with her."

"So I guess we might as well relax," Mandla said as he sat down on one of the couches in the TV room.

"He's already thinking ahead," said Kevin.

Unfortunately, they didn't get much of a chance to relax since Bridget showed up a couple minutes later, carrying some groceries. A younger boy around 11—must be Tommy—and another man entered soon after carrying a baby and was followed by a toddler. "Didn't think you'd show up so early," Sean said to Bridget.

"Sorry to disappoint you," she said. "Everyone, this is my husband Robert." Robert was certainly larger and older than Sean. Not only that, his hair was much shorter, like in a crew cut. "This is Tommy," she gestured to the 11-year-old. He kind of looked like a younger version of Sean. "This is Allie," she gestured to the toddler. "And this is Cassie," she showed the baby to the others. Maria and Hitomi's hearts melted instantly.

" _Awwwwww! She's so adorable!_ " They said in perfect unison, fawning over the baby. This, naturally, got the guys confused.

"Why is it that those two go ga-ga over those things?" Sean asked Kevin. Kevin returned his question with a shrug.

"Is there anything else you need?" Bridget asked.

"Not really," Sean replied. "Rich Boy furnished the place and we've got Ethernet."

"That's good," said Rob.

"So what are you, Robert?" Hitomi asked.

"Me?" he replied. "I'm a Marine." Hitomi reacted with complete shock. Sean laughed at her reaction.

"Hi there," Maria said to Tommy. "I'm Maria, it's nice to meet you."

"Whatever," Tommy replied. Maria wasn't happy one bit.

"He has your attitude," she said to Sean. He shrugged in response.

"I don't like it either," he said. "Say hi to Allie, she might be nicer."

"So Sean, what do you want to do now?" Rob asked.

"Um… I'm not sure," he said. "I guess if you want to, we could go out for dinner."

"Like where?"

"I suppose if you had the money, we could go over to Universal and go to NBA City."

"NBA City?" Hitomi asked. 'What's that?"

"It's this big NBA-themed restaurant at Universal," said Sean. "The place is covered from wall to wall in basketball memorabilia and basketball arcade games."

"Shouldn't the name 'NBA' have tipped you off?" Kevin asked.

"What is the NBA?" Hitomi asked. This in turn elicited a groan from everyone else.

"Is she  _that_ naïve?" Sean asked in annoyance.

"Unfortunately, yes," Maria said.

"I'm just kidding!" Hitomi said. "National Basketball Association, right?"

"So she isn't as naïve as we thought," said Mandla. At this point, Kevin took Sean aside, much to his friend's confusion.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" He asked. "What if the Zordonians attack?"

"They don't know where we are," said Sean. "They're gonna be on a wild goose chase before they find us."

[][][]

Speaking of which, we now shift focus to the Zordonians. Their leader, Emperor Rashon sat on his throne and enjoying his favorite pastime, sipping the finest Zordonian wine. Rashon appeared young, but appearances can be deceiving. He might be much older than his 19-year-old appearance. He looked exactly like the  _Sailor Moon_ character Prince Dimande (a point that Hitomi made in Part 1), right down to the white hair, white suit and blue cape. And although he spent much of his time sitting on his throne, he was a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, as the Rangers found out in Part 1.

A column of light appeared in front of the throne. Rashon looked to see a commander Swabot appear in front of him. "Did you find them?" He asked.

"No, my Emperor," the Swabot replied. "We have not found the Power Rangers."

"Did you check the United Nations databanks?" He asked with a slightly annoyed tone.

"We did," the Swabot said. "But they were already ahead of us. We were stopped by a firewall." Rashon sighed in annoyance. However, another column of light appeared nest to the Swabot. A man appeared, not much older in appearance than Rashon. He wore a grey drab military uniform with yellow piping. His thick, brown hair was long for a man's and went down to his shoulder. He looked at his Emperor with blue eyes.

"Kalderon," said Rashon. "Any progress?"

"Yes, my Emperor," he said in response. "Much more than those inept Swabots."

"Really?" Rashon asked. "How?"

"We hacked into the database of several Terran airliners. We found the Rangers purchased tickets for flights to a city called Toronto and then to a city named Orlando in the territory called 'Florida' in the United States."

"Go on," Rashon said, fully interested.

"We also found a house had been purchased in Orlando by one Daisuke Miyazawa," he said. "In other words, we found them."

"I see," said Rashon, his mouth now curved into a smile. "What do you intend to do?"

"I will bide my time," said Kalderon. "I will lull the Rangers into a false sense of security and then attack when the time is right… unlike that fool Phaedos."

"I like this plan," said Rashon. "You intend to be more subtle."

"I will also disguise myself as a Terran," Kalderon said as well.

"I like this plan much better than Phaedos's," said Rashon. "You may proceed with this plan. And unlike Phaedos, I shall be more patient with you, since you have yet to fail me."

"Thank you my Emperor," said Kalderon. A column of light appeared and he teleported away from the room.

[][][]

"Why did we go to Hard Rock Café instead of NBA City again?" Mandla asked after the Rangers returned from dinner.

"Because Bridget didn't want to go to NBA City," said Kevin. "She doesn't like the place."

"Makes perfect sense," said Mandla. Sean ignored him and plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV. Mandla came up to Sean and stood in front of him, much to the American's displeasure.

"Do you mind?" he asked.

"You won't talk to me," said Mandla. "You treat me like dirt and you call me 'newbie'. Why?"

"Because you're the newbie," said Sean. That answer wasn't quite good enough for Mandla and he kept pressing.

"I'm asking you why you keep disrespecting me!" He shouted. Sean got up and confronted the South African.

"You want to know why?" He asked. "It's because you're the newbie! Yeah, you stood up to my slap shot, but you haven't proven yourself in a fight yet. Yes, Rich Boy was a nationalistic, racist, egotistical asshole, but he was probably our best fighter. You have some big shoes to fill and until you fill them, I'm going to call you 'newbie'!"

"Can't you at least call me Ndebele?" He asked.

"I can do that," Sean replied.

"Good enough," Mandla said. "But I still want respect."

"Prove to me you can handle yourself as a Ranger," Sean said. "You have to earn it."

"I see," said Mandla. "Then I'll do what I can."

"Fair enough," said Sean. "Now sit your ass down, we're gonna watch a movie. I'm thinking  _Blazing Saddles._ "

"Is it good?" Mandla asked.

"Very good," said Sean. "Very funny."

[][][]

Two days later, Kalderon decided it was time to expose himself to the Rangers and draw them out. One day was enough for them to be lulled into a false sense of security and now he and a monster would break them out of it. The perfect target would be downtown Orlando in front of what the Terrans called "City Hall".

"So when do we attack?" His monster, a green, parrot-like monstrosity asked. "I want to start killing people now!"

"Patience," said Kalderon. "We can't be too hasty. That's how Phaedos was defeated, you see. His impatience cost him. No, we wait to attack. The Rangers will be expecting an attack in broad daylight. An attack in the evening will work just fine when humans are watching the evening news."

"What?" The monster asked. "You want the Terrans to know about us?"

"It doesn't have to be during the news, just when I order it," Kalderon said. "Understand?"

"Squawk, uh, sure," the monster said in an unsure tone.

[][][]

As she grabbed a glass of lemonade, Maria wiped her forehead to wipe the sweat off her brow after her workout. Kevin was outside swimming in the pool (obviously rubbing it into the other Rangers that he brought his swimsuit. Asshole). She ignored Kevin and decided to take a walk outside in the front. She opened the door and walked right into the sauna. There, a strange sight greeted her eyes.

Sean was wearing his inline skates and holding his hockey stick. He was staking around, performing maneuvers Maria had never seen before. It seemed ridiculous that he'd be skating around like that in the middle of the street. But then she realized that he was playing hockey. Every move he made was in a game that only he was playing. While it may seem like he's crazy, it must have made sense to him. His muscles glistened in with sweat in the Florida sun and his hair flapped as he skated around. His tight shirt—oh, dear.

Maria shook her head to shake her out of her gaze. She didn't want to think about Sean's tight shirt, exquisite hair, toned muscles…

"'EY! What are you looking at?" Maria was startled. She kicked herself mentally, realizing she had gotten distracted again. Sean was looking at her from the street, resting his stick on his shoulder. He must have noticed her.

"Um, nothing," she said. She knew it was a bad lie and Sean must have, too, since his facial expression showed he didn't believe her. So, she changed the subject. "What are you doing?"

"Bunch of NHL scouts are coming to town in a couple weeks," he replied. "I need to practice until then."

"Out in the middle of the street?" She asked.

"Until I can find an ice rink around here I have to," he said. "Besides, except for some subtle differences, ice hockey and inline hockey aren't that different. By the way, what were you looking at me like that for? Are you attracted to me or something?"

Maria 'erked' and tried to think of something to say. "Um, no," she said.

"Whatever," he said before going back to practicing hockey. Maria turned around to see Mandla smirking and shaking his head.

"You're bad at that," he said.

" _¿Por qué no te callas?"_ She replied as she walked inside. Mandla, not a Spanish speaker, looked confused. Mandla got a look at Sean playing hockey in the street, shook his head and walked back inside.

"Something's up with Maria," Sean said as he grabbed some water out of the refrigerator. "She was looking at me while I was practicing."

"Maybe she likes you," Kevin said. Sean gave him a dirty look in response and Kevin dropped the question. "By the way, shouldn't we be on alert for Zordonian attack? What if they find us?"

"I am prepared," Sean said after taking a sip of water. "I got some bandanas and sunglasses that we'll wear when the Zordonians do attack."

"Why do we—Oh, right. Secret identity issues."

"Bingo," said Sean. "We wear them so we can fight in public without exposing our faces."

"I like it," said Kevin.

"Sounds stupid," said Mandla.

"Why, you got a better idea?" Sean asked.

"I'll probably look stupid," he replied.

"I want to see his solution," Sean muttered to Kevin.

"In all seriousness, though, what are we supposed to do?" Kevin asked.

"We'll have to be like minutemen," said Sean. Mandla was confused as to what Sean was talking about. Makes sense, really. It's something most Americans know but is usually (for the most part) not known around the world. "Militia men in the American colonies from before the American Revolution," said Sean. "They got their name because when the call came to bear arms they had to be ready at a minute's notice."

"I see, so we have to be vigilant," said Mandla.

"Now you're catching on," said Sean.

[][][]

That evening, Kalderon watched the dwindling activity around the Orlando city hall. The building, at the corner of South Orange Avenue and South Street, was closing for the evening. The daily grind would begin again tomorrow but now would be a good time to shake things up. He nodded to Parraptor to begin the attack. "FINALLY!" The parrot monster shouted.

Instantly he jumped out of hiding near City Hall. The town government officials, who were just getting out of work, recoiled as they saw the monstrous parrot. " _Squack_ , Time to die, humans!" The workers recoiled in and ran away in terror as a Swabot horde appeared and attacked. Kalderon then joined in, jumping in right next to Parraptor.

"Attention, humans! I am Kalderon of the Zordonian Empire! Where are the Power Rangers?"  
[][][]

At the same time, the Rangers were sitting down to have dinner. It was a balanced meal, required for people with athletic bodies. Sean was, of course, snarfing down apples much to Mandla's confusion. Mandla even asked why he liked apples, to which Sean replied that he simply liked them. A bit of meat, grains, vegetables, fruit and pasta rounded out the meal along with 8 ounces of milk.

"Hitomi, could you pass me the rice?" Sean asked, holding out his bowl. Hitomi nodded and handed him some steamed rice. " _Arigato,"_ he said. Hitomi nodded in response.

The radio was playing some music in the background, as was the TV, although the volume was low on that. They didn't want to be too distracted from their dinner.

Of course, given what was going on downtown, that was about to change.

Suddenly, Kevin got a look at the TV screen and noticed a breaking news alert. His face instantly changed when he saw the news report. "Kevin, what's wrong?" Sean asked. He wasn't facing the TV so he didn't know what was going on. However, he looked behind him to see the carnage going on the TV. "Already?" He asked nonchalantly. But then he realized that they were calling for the Power Rangers and the implications hit him. "They found us!" He said.

"What?" Maria shouted. "How could they find us, the UN has a fantastic firewall!"

"It must have been something else," said Hitomi. Her eyes widened when she realized the possibilities. "Oh, no. Brother's transactions! They must have hacked into them!"

"Well we can't worry about that right now," said Kevin. "We have to stop them!"

"Kev's right," said Sean. He pulled out his morpher and pressed a button to contact Col. Greene. "Col. Greene! The Zordonians found us! We have to stop them!"

" _You have to wait for President Obama's approval!"_ said Col. Greene.

"What? This is an emergency!" said Sean. "We have to wait for the President's approval?"

" _The reason you first fought in Japan was because the Japanese government gave us permission to operate on their soil!"_ Col. Greene replied. " _Since you up and left, we haven't had time to get permission from President Obama."_

"Fuck!" said Kevin. There was a pause on the other end of the line, though. Sean was not happy with this, as this wasted valuable time.

" _Good news,"_ said Col. Greene. " _President Obama has given you the go-ahead to engage the Zordonians. Just try and do your best to keep civilian casualties and property damage at a minimum."_

"Perfect!" said Sean. "That's why I voted for the man. Alright guys, you heard the Colonel.  _¡Vamos!_ " The Rangers got up from the table and scrambled for the garage while Sean grabbed the bandanas, hats and sunglasses needed to cover their faces. "Ndebele," he said to Mandla as he handed the green bandana to him. "Looks like you'll get your chance to prove yourself."

"Okay then," the South African said as he climbed in their new Grand Prix Cruiser. Sean got in on the left-hand side and put his bandana on to cover his mouth. Then he turned on the engine and backed the Hummer out of the driveway. The haro beeped, determining the route they would take.

" _Haro, haro, enemy located, haro haro. Determining route."_ The route flashed up and Sean nodded.

"Alright. Let's go!"

[][][]

End chapter


	2. The First Battle in Orlando

Power Rangers GPX, Episode 18: The First Battle in Orlando

" _Squawk_ , Where are they?" Parraptor squawked. He and Kalderon had raised hell near Orlando city hall in front of the TV cameras and they still had not seen the Rangers show up yet. The National Guard had shown up, but Parraptor had dispatched them easily. Now he was getting impatient waiting for them "They should have been here a long time ago!"

"Patience!" said Kalderon. "That was Phaedos's downfall, not just against the Rangers, but in general. We need to have patience. We cannot rush into this problem, especially since we've been cordoned off from the rest of the city." He pointed to the police barriers and the National Guardsmen. "If you want to, you can kill them."

" _Squawk_ , that's no fun!" Parraptor replied. "I want the Rangers!"

"Fool," said Kalderon.

"This sucks!" said Parraptor, getting even more irritated with Kalderon. "You said the Rangers would be here!"

"It is possible they're having trouble arriving," said Kalderon.

"That's not an excuse,  _squawk!_ " Parraptor shouted back. By now, Kalderon himself was getting irritated with the monster's impatience. He was going to discipline it if it didn't shut up.

"If you don't—well, what do we have here?" The sounds of screeching tires could be heard approaching and a yellow Hummer skidded to a stop nearby.

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE WAY!" Sean shouted as he pressed down on the accelerator. The other Rangers held on for dear life while he drove like a madman through downtown Orlando. The National Guardsmen who had gathered to fight Kalderon and Parraptor scattered to avoid the incoming Hummer and Sean hit the brakes. The SUV skidded to a stop right in front of city hall.

"He's mad!" Mandla said as he jumped out of the Hummer and lined up with the other Rangers right in front of Kalderon.

"I was expecting the Power Rangers," he said with a slight tone of disappointment. "Who are you, and why are you covering your faces?"

"You'll find out soon enough," said Sean. "Right now, we're going to teach you a lesson, um… what's your name?"

"My name is Kalderon!" He replied. "I am the second of the Four after that fool Phaedos was defeated by the Power Rangers! I want to fight them, not vigilante fools!" To be clear, the Rangers were still wearing bandanas, hats and sunglasses to cover their faces so Kalderon—who knows what the Rangers look like—didn't recognize them. Hitomi, however, did recognize him… sort of.

"He looks like—" Hitomi was about to say, but Sean cut her off.

"Let me guess,  _Sailor Moon_ character?"

"Yep."

"Which one?"

"Nephrite."

" _Bueno._ " He spoke to Kalderon next. "Well, whoever you are, you're going down!"

"Like I said, vigilante idiots will be dealt with. Swabots!" The gray-and-black robots with faces like skulls and red eyes gathered around their commander. "Kill these fools!" The Swabots rushed the Rangers-in-disguise. The Rangers ran forward and the two met in the middle.

Kevin flipped over the first Swabot he met. He blocked the attack of another before grabbing the one he just flipped over. He flipped that Swabot on its back before kicking the other Swabot in the gut. He ducked when another Swabot rushed him. The Swabot slid right over him. He then tackled another Swabot like the rugger he is. He threw the Swabot into several more Swabots. He was hit in the back but he retaliated, grabbing the Swabot's arm and throwing it to the ground, making it break apart instantly.

The Swabot in front of him lunged, thrusting its short sword. Sean ducked and roundhouse kicked the Swabot in response. Sean elbowed another Swabot in the chest. Trying to get to Kalderon, he broke free of the melee but was stopped by other Swabots, forcing him to keep fighting. He ducked to avoid two other Swabots which collided with each other. When he got back up, he blocked a Swabot's punch and punched it right back. With some impressive footwork he avoided more Swabot attacks before kicking one of the Swabots.

Mandla was doing well in his first fight. Well, relatively better. He threw a Swabot into a group of them. He then punched one in the face. He used that Swabot to attack another Swabot. He roundhouse kicked a Swabot that tried to come from behind him. He quickly ducked and sweep-kicked a Swabot off his feet. He finished it off, stomping on its chest. He quickly noticed another Swabot attack him to which he leapt back to avoid the Swabot. Mandla next punched a Swaobt right in the face, literally crushing the robot's face.

Maria danced around, easily avoiding the Swabot attacks. These stupid robots were never a challenge. When she stopped she hook kicked one of the Swabots that she dodged earlier. She rolled forward, again avoiding the Swabots. Then she kicked at a Swabot behind her, then used that same leg to kick a Swabot in the groin. It works, okay? Anyway, she leapt over a pair of Swabots like she was playing Leap Frog. She tumbled when she hit the ground and blocked a Swabot attack with her leg before jumping back up and taking out several more Swabots.

The Swabots she faced were astounded as Hitomi flipped over them. They had never fought a gymnast before, apparently. They had no chance to stop her when she kicked one in the chin. She then cart wheeled to avoid the Swaobts, even kicking them. She round house kicked a Swabot in the chest, knocking it into another Swabot group. She leapt up and grabbed a Swabot and threw it into the ground; quite a bit of strength for the physically weakest of the Rangers. She beat the next Swabot to the parking lot and with some space, twirled around like a ballerina, kicking several Swabots.

"Hm," said Kalderon. "For a bunch of vigilantes, they sure are good."

" _Squawk_ , Really?" Parraptor asked. "What do you think?"

"They must have had several years of Terran martial arts training at least," Kalderon responded. He had a thoughtful look on his face, like he was the Sherlock Holmes of the Zordonians. "They way they fight, they're not people who simply watch movies, they've been trained by a master martial artist. Clearly they—" suddenly, a figure came out of nowhere and crashed into Kalderon, knocking him back. Kalderon replied with an energy ball at the mystery assailant, but said assailant leapt backwards out of the way, landing ten feet away. That move! These were definitely no amateurs. Then he noticed the person's sunglasses had come off and he got a good look at his eyes. They had a fire in them. A fire that—

"I should have known it was you!" Kalderon said. "You had me fooled with those disguises, but it won't work, Red Ranger!"

Sean chuckled. "Well, looks like you figured it out," he said. "I guess the ruse wouldn't last long."

"Your fighting styles betrayed you," said Kalderon. "And the way you slammed into me was like an 'ice hockey' player slamming into another player."

"Figures you would have found out," said Sean. The other Rangers gathered around him as he stood up. "I guess it's time to get down to business, huh?"

"Yes," said Kalderon. "I'll even give you time to transform."

"Fair enough," Sean said as he displayed his AcceleMorpher, "Time to kick into action! You ready, guys?"

" _READY!"_

" _GPX, START IT UP!"_ They jammed the keys into the morphers and gave them a twist. A flash of light engulfed them. The crowd that had formed shielded their eyes while Kalderon just kept his arms crossed. The light faded and the crowd gasped in either shock, surprise or what-the-hell-ever.

There they were in their Ranger suits. The suits were obviously colored, save for the white torsos, which ended right above the black utility belts. These included silver straps like four-point safety harnesses that were attached to the flat-topped pentagon belt buckle. A series of broken white lines like on a road went down the arms, stopping at the gauntlet. The gauntlets were white, topped by tire-like rings. The boots were colored, though, but also had these black, tire-like rings. The collars were colored. The helmets were sleek, and had a pair of wheel-like features on the side, silver mouth plates with grills. If you read Part 1, you'd know that they were a combination of the  _Power Rangers Operation Overdrive_ and  _Kousoku Sentai Turboranger_ helmet designs.

The chest symbol was a motion-font number superimposed over a racing tire. The colors were red (#1), blue (#2), green (#3), yellow (#4) and pink (#5).

"Oh my god!" Mandla said, holding his hands in front of his face. He was feeling the euphoria of the suit for the first time, so it was natural. "This is the most incredible feeling in my life!"

"Yeah, you feel that the first time you morph," said Sean. "You get used to it."

"Why don't you do the roll call?" Kalderon asked to taunt them. Sean sighed in exasperation and snarled under his helmet. He really didn't like the roll call.

"Alright!" He said. "But only once! GPX Red!"

"GPX Blue!" Kevin shouted.

"GPX… Green!" Mandla shouted. The new guy had trouble remembering his color and posing, unfortunately.

"GPX Yellow!" Maria shouted.

"GPX Pink!" Hitomi finished.

" _POWER RANGERS! GPX!"_  They posed as a group and some explosions fired behind them.

"What was that?" Mandla asked, referring to the explosions.

"You get used to them," said Kevin.

"Come on Kalderon, let's do this!" Sean shouted, getting into hot-blooded mode. Kalderon, however, wouldn't let him.

"Well now that we're all introduced, I shall leave you to Parraptor," said Kalderon.

"What?" Sean shouted. "You coward! You're supposed to fight us!"

"You will fight me again," said Kalderon. "But for now, I shall leave. Parraptor, I'll leave them to you!" Kalderon teleported away from the scene, leaving Parraptor to handle the Rangers.

" _Squawk,_ Finally!" He reared, ready to fight the Rangers. However, he had something else. "Swabots!" The robots gathered around him. "Attack!"

"Oh, not more Swabots!" Mandla groaned.

"Being a Power Ranger isn't always fair," said Sean. "Now let's get 'em!"

" _RIGHT!"_ The wheels on their boots and gauntlets spun and they sped forwards and met the Swabots in the middle.

Mandla's adrenaline was flowing faster than he had ever felt. And thus he felt like he could take on anything as the new Green Ranger. He pounded one Swabot in the face and kicked back at it. He spun around to avoid a nasty Swabot sword strike and kicked the sword out of the Swabot's hands. He elbowed one in the chest and then wound up his arm. He delivered a powerful blow to the chest of a Swabot that was right in front of him. He kneed another Swabot to take it out right then and there. "I cannot believe this  _feeling_!" he said. Of course, he noticed an attacking Swabot and went back to fighting.

Determined to get to Parraptor, Sean tore through the Swabots he faced. He blocked the sword swing of his current opponent, and then kicked it in the chest. He pulled out his Octane Blaster, which looked like a fuel pump nozzle and shot at a pair of Swabots. Converting the blaster into the GP Sword, he took a big swipe at several Swabots, taking them out in a shower of sparks. "Get the  _fuck_  out of my way!" He side-kicked a Swabot and punched another one in front of him. He then punched an incoming Swabot in the gut, sending it flying back several feet, giving him a clear path to Parraptor.

Kevin collided with a Swabot that had tried to attack him. His collision destroyed the robot. Then he kicked a Swabot in the face. The damaged Swabot sparked. This caused some other Swabots to catch fire. Kevin pulled out his Octane blaster and fired two shots at the Swabots that were on fire. He blocked another Swabot's attack and shot another Swabot, making it explode in a shower of sparks and fly backwards into another group of Swabots. He tackled a Swabot and shot two more before throwing one of the Swabots to the ground like a judo fighter.

As she re-adjusted to the adrenaline the suit gave her, Maria fought hard as she could. She kicked at a Swabot and hit it in the chest. She then side kicked one into a group of them, knocking them over like bowling pins. The pavement suddenly exploded in front of her was a Swabot somehow blaster at her feet. She leaped back to avoid the shot, though. She ran forward, jumped and kicked the Swabot in the face with her jump kick. She spun around, avoiding a Swabot's sword. She responded with a hard roundhouse kick to the Swabot's face, decapitating it.

Hitomi fought her enemies with more agility than Maria. She flipped over several of them, all of them unable to fight her on her terms. She landed on the shoulders of one Swabot and jumped off when the other Swabots fired at it. The Swabot exploded and the Swabots were disoriented before Hitomi came back and kicked the Swabots' heads off. When she landed, she cart wheeled away to avoid the Swabot blasts. Next she kicked a Swabot's chin and punched the next one. When she stopped, she roundhouse kicked at a pair of Swabots to finish the job.

"COME HERE, POLLY!" Sean shouted once he got free of the Swabots. Parraptor braced for the Red Ranger's attacks and blocked his furious assault. Sean punched one-two against Parraptor which the parrot-monster blocked both times. Sean roundhouse kicked the parrot, which the monster blocked again. Sean ducked and blocked Parraptor's next attacks. "Polly want a knuckle sandwich?" Sean said as he punched Parraptor right in the beak.

" _Squawk,_ you'll pay for that!" Parraptor squawked as he rushed Sean. However, he didn't get very far.

Kevin slammed into Parraptor and brought him down like a rugger. When Parraptor got back up, Mandla arrived and gave Parraptor a mighty blow to the head. Next, Maria roundhouse kicked the monster, serving him up to Hitomi who kicked him with both feet. " _Squawk_ , now I'm  _really_ mad!" Parraptor screeched. The other Rangers gathered around Sean and prepared to fight.

"Any strategies?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah," said Sean. "Circle him and keep him off balance. We'll attack him one after another and then at the same time."

"Got it," said Maria. The other Rangers spread out and circled Parraptor. The parrot twisted around to try and get a read on the Rangers.

Then Sean rushed forward at Parraptor. He unleashed a furious assault on the parrot, punching and kicking in perfect intervals. He gave Parraptor a cross-jab, then a front kick. He blocked Parraptor's punch and elbowed him over to Kevin. Kevin then punched Parraptor like Rampage Jackson, knocking Parraptor back. He kicked and punched at Parraptor and using his foot, shoved him over to Manlda.

Mandla wound his fist up and punched Parraptor  _hard_. The dazed parrot did not see Mandla run up and knee him right to Maria. Maria also got into a little melee with Parraptor, punching, kicking and blocking. Maria next grabbed Parraptor and threw him over to Hitomi. Hitomi spun like a ballet dancer, kicking Parraptor with each swing of her leg. Then she flipped over him and kicked the parrot. Parraptor stumbled backwards and fell down.

" _Squawk,_ Now I'm  _really really_ angry!" He said. Suddenly, a weapon materialized in his hand. The Rangers pretty much knew that they needed something extra.

"Polly's got a toy, huh?" Sean asked. "Very well then, let's put the new gear to the test! Grand Prix Weapons!" Sean, Kevin, Maria and Hitomi pressed on their belt buckles and their weapons materialized. Mandla figured this out and also pressed on his belt buckle.

Sean had the GT Sword, resembling the Master Sword from the _Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess_ , Kevin had his Touring Cannon—more like rifle, Mandla his twin-bladed Mountain Axe, Maria had her Haz Daggers and Hitomi had her Am Bow.

"Same strategy," said Sean. "But Hitomi and Kevin can adapt their weapons as best they can."

" _Squawk!"_  Parraptor charged Sean. Sean blocked the parrot's attack with his GT Sword and swung the sword in retaliation. He hit the parrot monster easily, sending sparks flying. Kevin then shot Parraptor twice with his Touring Rifle. That set him up for Mandla to swing his big axe at Parraptor. Parraptor could not defend himself from the axe and Mandla got several big swipes on him. Next, Hitomi shot Parraptor with an arrow, distracting him and making him charge her. However, Maria came in between the two and thrust the dagger in her right hand at him and hacked with her left, which she held in a reverse style. The attacks hit Parraptor and he flew backwards, dazed.

Then he saw Sean charging up for an attack. His blade was glowing red. "GT STRIKE!" He shouted, swinging his sword. The attack struck Parraptor and sparks began to fly from him. He fell backwards as the Rangers gathered around Sean.

"He's not dead yet?" Sean said in frustration. "He's weak, but he's a stubborn bastard!"

"So what do we do now?" Mandla asked.

"We'll have to finish this off," said Sean, "Time to bring in the Big Gun! Col. Greene! We need the Nitro Cannon!"

" _Nitro Cannon is on its way_!" said an operator, clearly not Col. Greene. It didn't matter, anyway, since the big cannon materialized in front of the Rangers. The cannon was shaped like an engine with the exception of the gun barrel extending out and the pistol trigger extending below. The Rangers grabbed the cannon, two Rangers on each side and Sean holding the trigger.

"Ready!" said Sean. Parraptor began to get up, but still dazed.

"Aim!" said Hitomi. The targeting computer rose up and took aim at Parraptor. The cross-hairs lit up in red, signifying that it was locked-on.

Sean didn't even bother shouting 'fire' since he just pulled the trigger, trying to get this over with. The cannon fired a ball of energy at Parraptor, which he could not dodge or block. The ball struck Parraptor, making him so up in sparks. The parrot fell to the ground and exploded. The Rangers celebrated, thinking they had won.

However, Kalderon had not left the scene, but was watching from another area. He wasn't panicking or getting angry, either. He held up a crystal ball. "It's not over yet Rangers," he said as he threw the ball at where Parraptor once stood. The ball exploded and suddenly, Parraptor grew to a massive size.

" _Squawk,_ now who's laughing, Rangers?" The parrot bellowed in a deep voice.

"Oh, COME ON!" Sean said in frustration. "Now what?"

"We have to call the Grand Prix Zords," said Maria.

"But we're in downtown Orlando," said Sean. "We have to keep property damage at a minimum, we can't fight here!"

"Dammit, he's right," said Kevin. He tapped his helmet, looking for a place to fight. "Found it! There's a spot northwest of downtown that's nothing but trees and grassland on both sides of Route 423. We can fight there! I'll send the coordinates to the base."

"Good job," said Sean. "Now we have to lure Parraptor there." He turned to Parraptor and shouted at him. "Hey ugly! Betcha can't catch us!"

" _Squawk,_ Come here, you tiny little gnats!" Parraptor bellowed as the Rangers climbed into the Grand Prix Cruiser and took off for Route 423.

The Rangers led Parraptor through Orlando, trying to make sure there was little property damage and loss of life. Most of the traffic was cleared, giving them room to speed towards the location. Eventually, they found it and Sean pressed on the brakes, screeching to a stop. The Rangers climbed out…

… Just as Parraptor stepped on the Cruiser. "FUCK!" Sean shouted in frustration.

"Sean, we still have the Zords!" Kevins shouted. "They just materialized, let's go!"

"Hey, I'm the one giving orders around here!" Sean shouted back as he rushed towards the zords. The zords fired some harpoons at Parraptor which kept him in place. He leapt up in the air and landed on the GT Racer. The cockpit was cozy, and two panels glowed red thanks to back lighting. "GT Racer, online!" It was a large, red GT race car.

"Touring Racer, ready to go!" Kevin said when he dropped into his Zord's cockpit. It was a massive blue touring race car.

"Mountian Hauler, looking good!" Mandla said as he dropped in. The Mountain Hauler was a massive green pick-up truck.

"Haz Runner, roll out!" Maria cried. It was a large, yellow hazmat vehicle.

"Am Chaser, let's go!" Hitomi said. Hers was a large, white-with-pink-trimming ambulance.

"Get your AcceleKeys out!" said Sean. The other Rangers did so. "Initiate Grand Prix Megazord sequence, go!" He jammed the AcceleKey into the key slot. The other Rangers did so as well, Mandla included, although he was a little unsure. They gave them a twist, lighting up the dashboards.

Mountain Hauler joined with Touring Racer. The touring car split in two and rolled up to the rear wheels of the Mountain Hauler. A pair of panels adjusted, revealing elbows. At the same time, a pair of fists popped out of the back. The Touring Racer then joined with the Mountain Hauler, forming arms. However, Mandla was still confused. 'Now what?" He asked.

"You see the 'docking sequence' button on your dashboard?" Sean asked.

"Yeah,"

"Press it, now hurry!"

"Okay!" Mandla pressed the button and the docking sequence began. Then the grill on the Mountain Hauler lifted up and the front of the truck split and a pair of extensions popped out. The Hauler then rolled up the rears of the Am Chaser and Haz Runner and joined with them. The Haz Runner and Am Chaser formed legs. Then, the GT Racer rolled up the back of the Mountain Hauler and docked with it. The large lights on the top of the Mountain Hauler rolled back and folded down. Now the Megazord was ready. It was then that several rockets fired, propelling the megazord upright. The cabs of the Am Chaser and Haz Runner stayed put, forming feet. The Haz Runner formed the left leg and the Am Chaser the right. The rear compartment of the GT Racer folded back, revealing a head. The eyes resembled goggles, and the face mask was solid. No mouth piece. A pair of wheel-like panels on the side completed it. Finally, the robot was upright. The Megazord let out some steam, ready to fight.

" _Grand Prix Megazord, online!"_ The Rangers shouted in the cockpit, seated in Indy-car style pods. Parraptor broke free of his restraints and charged the megazord from the other side of the highway. The parrot squawked and crashed into the megazord. The megazord held its ground and wrestled with Parraptor before it threw him to the ground.

Parraptor got back up and found himself on the receiving end of the megazord's massive fist. Parraptor then punched the zord in the head, which the megazord blocked easily. He did kick the megazord, which made it stumble back onto the edge of a residential neighbor hood.

However, the Rangers were able to keep it stable and it retaliated with a mighty punch to Parraptor's beak. The parrot stumbled back across the highway before falling on his backside.

News helicopters circled the two as they fought. A couple news fans and missile Humvees stopped near the wreckage of the Grand Prix Cruiser, although the Haro survived—Sean probably won't like that. The cameras captured the battle between the two. Millions of people in America saw the Rangers for the first time on live TV.

Of course, the Rangers ignored that. They had to focus on Parraptor. "Time to finish this!" said Sean. "Grand Prix Megazord Saber!" The sword materialized in front of the megazord and the megazord picked it up. Its eyes flashed under the visor. "Turbo jets!"

The jets on the soles of the feet of the megazord fired, lifting it off of the ground. Parraptor could only recoil in fear. " _Grand Prix Megazord Strike! Go!"_  The megazord launched itself at Parraptor, its jets propelling it. It swung its sword at Parraptor, striking him. Parraptor erupted in sparks and flailed around. The megazord stopped and posed in confident victory. " _Checkered flag!"_ Parraptor fell to the ground and exploded.

"FUCK YEAH!" Sean shouted as the Rangers celebrated. Their first victory on American soil was a decisive one. Now they had a leg up on the Zordonians.

[][][]

Kalderon teleported back into Emperor Rashon's throne room. He frowned in disappointment, but he felt that it wasn't too much of a big deal. Rashon wouldn't care, anyway. The general had a good standing with the emperor, unlike Phaedos so he had some freedom against the Rangers. He still had more chances to beat them, after all. "You lost," said Rashon, his face showing annoyance.

"I'm sorry," said Kalderon. "I did not expect this."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," said Rashon. "Parraptor was weak, anyway; reliable, but weak. You won't be getting in trouble with me."

"Thank you my emperor," he said, bowing in gratitude. "You are very forgiving."

"And you know," said Rashon. "Anyway, what plans do you have for the future?"

"None yet," said Kalderon. He was interrupted when feminine chuckling could be heard next to him. He turned to see Tirna materialize in a whirlwind of cherry blossom leaves.

"Well, well, Kalderon doesn't have any plans," the general said. "How are you going to beat the Rangers if you don't have a plan?"

"Stay out of this, Tirna," Kalderon said in an annoyed tone of voice. He was in no mood for the feminine general right now.

"Did I hurt your feelings?" Tirna asked. "You need to be able to take criticism."

"You're not part of this discussion so leave now," said Kalderon. Tirna scoffed and disappeared.

"So what do you intend to do?" Rashon asked.

"I will let you know," said Kalderon. "I have no intention of being hasty."

"A wise choice," said Rashon. "Very well, then. You are dismissed." Kalderon bowed before Rashon and teleported out of the room. Rashon was left alone to reflect.

[][][]

"Not bad," said Sean. The Rangers had gotten back to the house and were now back in their civilian forms, relaxing after a tough but good fight. "Maria, you fought well. Hitomi was impressive and Kevin, well, I think you need to tone down the rugby stuff, dude."

"Aw, man!" said Kevin.

"As for Ndeble, I think you did okay. You didn't quite prove yourself, but you did fine in your first fight."

"Thanks," said Mandla. "I guess."

"So now what?" Maria asked.

"We stay vigilant," Sean replied. "The Zordonians will no doubt come after us, but we'll be ready."

"That sounds—" Hitomi was about to talk, but the door opened interrupting her. She turned around and smiled at who it was. "Brother!" She said.

"Well, Rich Boy decided to show up," said Sean as Daisuke entered the kitchen.

"I thought you'd be happy to see me," said Daisuke.

"You know I don't like you," said Sean. "Oh, by the way, could you be more careful with your transactions? I think the Zordonians found us by hacking your credit card files!"

"Oh, no," said Dasiuke. He put his hand on his forehead in disappointment. The former Green Ranger was physically smaller than Sean and one inch shorter. His black hair was also shorter than Sean's. He was wearing a business suit, probably because he was meeting with Disney executives earlier. "I didn't think they'd do that."

"It's okay brother," said Hitomi. "We'll be fine."

"She's right," said Maria. "We'll be able to take them easily." Then, the door opened again and a three-year-old girl ran up to Sean.

"Uncle Sean!" Allie said as she gave him a big hug.

"Hey Allie," Sean said as he hugged back.

"Who's this?" Daisuke asked. He didn't know this girl, so it was natural.

"This is my niece Allie," said Sean. "Say hi to Rich Boy," he said to Allie.

"Hi Rich Boy," the three-year-old said. Maria smiled at how cute the girl was, but Daisuke didn't think it was cute. Eventually, Bridget, Rob and Tommy came in with Cassie.

"Who are these people?" Daisuke asked. Bridget frowned at how rude he sounded, so Daisuke re-worded his question. "I'm sorry, I don't think I've met you," he said. "What's your name?"

"Hi, I'm Bridget," she said. "I'm Sean's older sister. This is my husband Robert Jackson." Rob and Daisuke shook hands. "I see you already met Allie, so I'll introduce you to my baby daughter Cassie."

"How old is she?" Maria asked. "You never told us last time.

"She's six months old," said Bridget. "She's a February baby. And this," she gestured to Tommy. "Is Tommy, me and Sean's brother. Say hi, now."

"Screw you!" Tommy said in response. "I've heard of you, I don't like you." Dasiuke was not happy one bit while Sean stifled his laughter.

"Must run in the family," said Daisuke.

"He's really not that bad," said Rob. "He's just mad about being here, right?"

"Right," Tommy sarcastically said. Rob ignored him and turned to Sean.

"Did you see the news?" he asked.

"What news?" Sean replied. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You mean you didn't see those superheroes fighting downtown?" Rob asked. He went over to the TV and turned on CNN. There was a headline across the screen that said,

"MONSTER FIGHT IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO, FL; OFFICIALS HAVE NO ANSWERS"

The group crowded around the TV and watched the coverage of the fight earlier. The anchors were talking speculatively, not sure what was going on. There was also shaky hand-held camera footage being shown on the TV that almost resembled  _Cloverfield_. The Rangers and Daisuke watched with interest but covered that up with a worried look. Rob and Bridget were also worried about the images one screen. "Who are these people?" She asked.

"Power Rangers," said Maria. Might as well get one thing out. "We heard of them in Japan. I didn't know they had come here."

"What's with the spandex?" Sean asked, mocking his own suit. "And that pose, it's ridiculous!"

"Sean, there was a monster attack!" Bridget scolded. "And you're thinking about the poses they're doing?"

"Hey, they won, didn't they?" He asked.

"That's not the point," said Rob. "People were injured in this attack."

"Sorry," said Sean.

They watched the news people discuss the battle. They could only speculate as best they could. " _The Power Rangers are a children's television show!"_ said one person. " _This has to be a hoax."_

" _There are eyewitnesses and video footage,"_ said another. " _This is not fake!"_

Bridget changed the channel to WESH 2. There, an anchor was more believing. " _Ladies and gentlemen_ ," she said. " _We thought this was just a rumor or something like that. However, the footage from Japan has turned out to be real. We don't know what will happen next, but one thing is clear:_

_The Power Rangers are real, and they are here in Orlando."_

[][][]

End chapter


	3. Who Are These Guys?

Power Rangers GPX, Episode 19: Who Are These Guys?

In the two days after the fight with Parraptor, things were mostly quiet, except when the Rangers and Bridget and her husband were watching the World Cup. This year, the United States was in the Final against Japan, so there was some friendly tension between Sean, Bridget, Rob, Daisuke and Hitomi.

The day of the final, the group was gathered in the Rangers' TV room. Sean wore his sweater from the 2009 World Juniors to show his solidarity as a hockey player with the US soccer team. Bridget wore a Scott McCarthy # 7 US soccer jersey.

"You ready to get your ass handed to you, Rich Boy?" Sean asked, giving Daisuke a taunting smile.

"In your dreams," said Daisuke. He and Hitomi sported blue Japan shirts signifying their loyalty to the Blue Samurai.

"Why do we have to watch these saps?" Kevin asked. 'We should be watching rugby!"

"You're just mad because France was  _handed_ a spot in the tournament," Sean said. Kevin frowned before hanging his head.

"Feck Thierry Henry," he said. Sean smiled in a snarky manner.

"That sucks for you," said Tommy.

"At least France crashed," said Kevin.

"That's something he should be happy about," said Mandla. In a way that matched his Ranger colors, he wore a South Africa away kit; said kit is primarily green. "We got to host the whole thing."

"I guess that's something he's allowed to brag about," said Rob.

"You're damn right it is," said Mandla.

"Ugh, soccer," said Maria. "We don't play that in Venezuela, we play a real game, baseball."

"Then why the hell are you wearing a Ronaldinho jersey?" Sean asked.

Maria looked down at her Brazil jersey and frowned at Sean. "Because my friend Simone gave it to me, alright?" She said.

"Riiiight," Sean said in a skeptical tone.

"Hey, the match is about to start!" Mandla said. Quickly the group sat down on the couches to watch the two teams enter the pitch behind their respective flags. The teams lined up on the screen and Maria happened to recognize Scott McCarthy.

"Hey, he looks like you!" she said. Sean gave her a look before turning back to the TV. Most of the first part was just FIFA officials and South African government officials meeting the teams.

Eventually, they played the anthems and of course, the O' Callahans/ Jacksons stood up and sang to the American anthem. It's only natural. The Miyazawas, however, did not want to be outdone and belted out the Japanese anthem—even though said anthem wasn't written to be belted out.

[][][]

"What is this?" Rashon asked as he watched the festivities unfold in South Africa. "Is this some kind of Terran ritual?"

"According to my research, this is a very important Terran event," said Eltar. "This is what is known as the 'FIFA World Cup'. It's a sporting event held every 4 Terran years. Nations from around the world send teams to compete in this event. Whoever wins is world champion."

"It looks silly," said Zentor. "Why would these Terrans waste their times with such silly games?"

"It's held as an alternative to war," said Eltar. "Some Terrans don't like war."

"By the way, what is the status update from Kalderon?" asked Rashon.

"He said he expects to attack the Rangers sometime this week," said Eltar. "He has obtained a Terran alias by now."

"Very good," said Rashon. "I look forward to his progress."

[][][]

Anyway, the match started. The US scored first in the 15th minute of play when Edson Buddle headed the ball in on a corner kick. The Japanese struck back in the 25th minute on a screamer from Daisuke Motomiya ("Hey, he's got the same first name as you, Rich Boy!" said Sean). Next Japan took the lead in the 44th minute on a Keisuke Honda free kick.

However, the USA was not done. In the second half, the USA tied the match in the 70th minute thanks to a brilliant goal by Clint Dempsey. Then, Scott McCarthy sent Sean, Bridget, Rob, Tommy and Allie into a frenzy when he scored in the 85th minute to put the USA ahead. That didn't last however, and Japan tied the game up on a burst down the field by Kyo Yagami.

The already tense match went into extra time. Extra time was uneventful, so the match went down to a penalty kick. The US and Japan each got off four successive penalty kicks each, the score tied at 4. However, the Americans went ahead thanks to Landon Donovan. The Japanese were down to Hiro Nakajima, who was the Japanese last hope. Here is where we pick up the action.

"Come on Timmy!" Scott said to American goalkeeper Tim Howard.

"You can do it Ken!" Hitomi shouted. All of them (Maria included) were on the edge of their seat waiting for Ichijouji to kick the ball. Ichijouji ran up to the ball slowly, trying to get Howard off guard. Then he fired a shot at Howard, which the American goalkeeper blocked.

Sean, Bridget, Rob, Tommy and Allie exploded.

"YYYYYEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH BABY!" Sean said calmly. "WORLD CHAMPIONS! USA, BABY!"

"Congratulations," Maria said deadpan. "I'm sure you—," She was cut off when Sean kissed her cheek. Of course, considering he was ecstatic, that could simply be chalked up to how happy he was. Sean started getting phone calls from his American friends asking him if they saw the game. Apparently the streets of Chicago were filled with celebrating fans and the National Mall in D.C. was a massive party scene. Hell, celebrations were going on all over the United States.

Of course, Hitomi and Daisuke sat there dejectedly. Even when the Japanese team got their silver medals they sat there with long faces. Those faces got longer as they watched American captain Carlos Bocanegra raise the Jules Rimet Trophy above the collective heads of the American team.

"Can you say 'World Champions'?" Sean asked to Allie.

"World Champions!" Allie repeated, earning her a high-five from Sean.

Things eventually settled down and Bridget and Rob decided it was time to go home. Allie didn't want to go but Bridget was adamant that they go home. Cassie needed to sleep in her own bed, after all. They waved good-bye and drove off, leaving the Rangers alone. Daisuke also left for his apartment in Kissimmee.

"Hell of a day," said Sean. "I guess the hockey jersey worked."

"You got lucky," said Kevin.

"Hey, we tied England and beat Uruguay and the Netherlands!" said Sean. "We're good! Besides, you couldn't even qualify, remember?" The other Rangers laughed while Kevin facepalmed in shame.

[][][]

The next day, Sean looked at the front of the  _Orlando Sentinel._ In big bold letters, the headline read:

" _ **O! SAY CAN YOU SEE!**_ _USA wins first World Cup. Celebrations erupt all over nation"._

"Fuck yeah!" Sean said, his face beaming. On ESPN, CNN, MSNBC (not Fox News, Sean was boycotting that channel), there were shots of people celebrating the USA's World Cup win. It's quite possibly one of the most important moments in American history yesterday. It was especially fantastic considering the deep economic hole the USA was in. Might as well have something for Americans to feel good about and be united.

Of course, all this patriotism annoyed the other Rangers. That goes without further elaboration. "All right, I'll cut it out," said Sean. Mandla mouthed 'thank you'.

Maria sat down and turned on Univision. The channel was playing a crappy soap opera (should be playing a Venezuelan soap opera. Not that's quality!). Fed with the crappy channel and switched to Central Florida News 13. There, something caught her attention.

"MARCUS SCHNEIDER ARRIVES IN ORLANDO," said the banner headline. Maria was perplexed. Who the hell is that guy?

"I know who he is," said Hitomi. "Our family does business with him. He runs a German tech company."

"Why does he look like Kalderon?" Maria asked. Hitomi shrugged.

"Coincidence, I guess," she said. "Like I said, I've seen him before."

"Sure," said Maria. It was obvious Maria didn't really care. It didn't matter, anyway.

[][][]

"Looks like the Terrans have been fooled," said Kalderon. He entered his 'apartment' and changed back from his Marcus Schneider disguise back into his Zordonian military uniform. "It was especially easy killing the real one."

"So what are we going to do now?" His monster, Nagron asked. Said monster was a walking, anthropomorphic shark.

"We'll have to lure the Rangers out," said Kalderon. "I think the typical attack on the city will do."

"Perfect!" Nagron said. "When do we attack?"

"Whenever you want."

:-:-:-:-:

Sean took a big bite out of his apple. He glanced over to see Allie staring at him. "What?"

"Why do you like apples?" The 3-year-old asked.

"Because they taste good and they're good for you," said Sean. "You should eat more of them so you'll be like me."

"Big doo-doo head?" Allie asked. Maria snickered, earning a dirty look from Sean.

"When is your mom coming to pick you up?" Sean asked. "And aren't you supposed to be at daycare?"

"Mommy said Ms Grainger has a boo-boo," said Allie.

"Oh right, she hurt her leg," said Sean. He checked his watch. He looked over to see Kevin watching a rugby match with Mandla. The two were arguing over which sport was better, soccer or rugby. You could probably tell who was arguing for each sport. Hitomi was drawing something on her little tablet. "Bridget should get here soon," he said.

"You can't wait to get rid of her?" Maria asked.

"Not really," said Sean. Sure enough, Bridget stepped trough the door. Allie ran right up to her and gave her a big hug.

"Mommy!"

"Hey sweetie," she said. "Did you have fun with Uncle Sean?"

"Uncle Sean is boring," Allie said, earning a face from Sean.

"Sorry about that," said Bridget. "But I had dump her on you on such short notice because no one else would take her."

"That's fine," said Sean. Bridget said good-bye and left the house. No sooner did she leave when the Rangers' morphers began beeping. "Go ahead," said Sean.

" _Rangers,_ " said one of the operators. " _We have reports of Zordonian activity at South Rio Grande Avenue."_

"That's not good enough," said Sean. "We need a landmark!"

" _The Florida Citrus Bowl_ ," said the operator.

"Fantastic!" said Sean. "Guys, let's go!"

"The Florida Citrus Bowl?" Hitomi asked. "What's that?"

"Football stadium," said Sean. "It's west of downtown, now let's move!"

"How are we going to get there?" Mandla asked. "The Grand Prix Cruiser was smashed, we don't have transportation!"

"I think the UN has something for us," said Sean. "Now let's quit fucking dawdling and  _MOVE!_ "

"Okay!" said Maria. The Rangers followed Sean into the garage. That's when they saw their little 'gift'.

They were five Indy Cars in all five colors. The Rangers' chest symbol was on the nose and sides of the cars. "Nice," said Sean. "You guys ready?"

" _Ready!"_

" _GPX, Start It Up!"_

:-:-:-:-:

"Damn, why does it take so damn long for the Rangers to show up?" Nagron growled. He hadn't really attacked, just waited for the Rangers to show up and overwhelm them. If only they had a way of getting to the Citrus Bowl any faster. Nagron chomped on a Swabot arm just to pass some time. Parking lots suck.

Eventually, he could hear the screeching of tires approaching. Whatever smile he could make with that big shark mouth of his was purely sadistic. The Rangers had finally shown up. They stopped right in front of him and hopped out. "Hey buddy, Shark Week isn't for another 2 weeks, so why don't you get the fuck out of here?" Sean asked.

"Back off, Ranger!" Nagron shouted. "Swabots, get them!" The Swabots charged the Rangers while Sean went straight for Nagron. He surprised the anthropomorphic shark by punching the monster in the snout. Nagron staggered backwards before recovering and throwing a punch at Sean. Sean blocked the punch and retaliated with a kick. However, Nagron blocked that and Sean found himself swarmed by Swabots and dragged away from Nagron. However, he threw the Swabots off. He might as well fight these guys instead. He pulled out the Octane Blaster and shot a couple Swabots.

Kevin rushed forward and clothes lined a pair of Swabots that had got in his way. His path to Nagron was mostly clear, but of course he still had Swabots to deal with. We twirled around, his boots screeching on the pavement. He butterfly kicked at more Swabots, his feet striking each one as he spun. He blocked a Swabot sword strike with his arm and then used the tire on his gauntlet to grind the Swabot's neck off. He ducked as a Swabot punch smashed the robot's face in.

With sheer brute force, Mandla smashed the face of a Swabot. He grabbed one, picked it up and tossed it across the parking lot landing right near Sean. "Sorry!" He shouted before going back to work. He elbowed a Swabot in the face and then kicked the Swabot right in front of him. Of course, this was a block kick. He changed that up with a roundhouse kick to that Swabot's head. He dodged a blast from a Swabot, said blast destroying one of them.

Like in Part 1, Maria and Hitomi worked as a duo to beat the Swabots. Maria took out her Haz Daggers while Hitomi used her brother's old Mountain Staff for the first time. Maria used one dagger to block a Swabot sword and stabbed the Swabot with the other. Hitomi kept the Swabots at a distance with the Staff. The two fought back-to-back, taking out Swabots that came their way. Hitomi thrust the blade of her staff at a Swabot and Maria shot the Swabot with her Octane Blaster. Then they spun around and Hitomi swung the Staff downwards and Maria stabbed to take out the final Swabot.

Nagron tried to escape but he found Sean right in front of him. "Smile, you son of a bitch!" He decked Nagron right in the snout, giving him up to Kevin. Kevin grabbed his neck and threw him to the ground.

"See that?" He said to Mandla. "You can't do that in soccer!"

"Watch and learn," said Mandla. He ran up to Nagron and kicked him hard like a soccer player. Then Maria and Hitomi came in and jump kicked Nagron right in the snout. The shark monster stumbled backwards and fell to the ground.

"Come on!" said Sean. "This was too easy!"

"Didn't your mother ever tell you to think before you speak?" A voice called out. The Rangers looked to the stadium to see…

"Kalderon!" Sean shouted. "What do you want?"

"If you think this fight will be easy, think again," said Kalderon. "This fight has only just begun!" He threw something at Nagron which hit him right in the arm. Suddenly Nagron began to glow red and he got up from the ground. He began to expand and gained a fiercer look than what he had earlier.

"Oh, shit," said Sean. "He just gained power."

"YYYYYEEEEESSSSS!" Nagron bellowed. He suddenly charged the Rangers. They held firm but he bowled through them like bowling pins, knocking them to the side.

"That hurt," said Mandla. The Rangers got back up however, and summoned the Nitro Cannon. They never got a shot off though, since Nagron bowled right into them.

"I thought sharks weren't supposed to charge their enemies like rhino!" Sean shouted. "Whoever made this guy, they don't know shit about Earth biology!"

"Here I come again!" Nagron shouted before charging the Rangers. Kevin and Mandla stepped in front of him and braced for impact. Nagron crashed into them but they held their ground. This allowed Sean to summon his Master Sword-resembling GT Sword. Unfortunately Nagron hit Sean and knocked him back. Then he pushed Kevin and Mandla off of him and swung around to club Maria and Hitomi.

All five Rangers landed several feet away. Their suits then disappeared in a flash of light and they writhed on the ground in pain. "HAHAHAHA!" Nagron laughed evilly. "Is that all you got?" Sean looked up and glared at the shark. He swore he could see Kalderon laughing on top of the Citrus Bowl. "That was easy!" He said. "Now it's time to finish you!" He opened his big wide mouth and a ball of energy began to form in his mouth.

"This sucks," said Sean. Nagron was about to fire.

When suddenly, something came out of nowhere and knocked Nagron down. Five figures landed in front of the Rangers dressed in strange outfits. "Hey! What are you doing here?" Sean shouted.

Kalderon had jumped off the Citrus Bowl and landed near Nagron. "Who are you?" He shouted.

"Silence, you Zordonian bastard!" The middle one, a blond-haired guy with the same build as Sean shouted.

"What did you just say to me?" Kalderon growled. "I demand to know who you are!"

"We will not tell you," the middle one said. "But we shall show you." He displayed a device on his wrist, as did the others; three males, two females.

" _Prism FLASH!"_ A flash of light blinded the others. When they looked, you could hear several jaws drop.

"No way!" Kalderon shouted. "How could this be?"

"Power Rangers?" said Sean.

"Who are these guys?" said Maria.

There were five of them. Red, blue, green, yellow and pink; and they were indeed Power Rangers. Their suits were designed differently from the GPX suits.

"We are here for revenge!" The red one shouted. "You attacked the planets we were raised on and you are now attacking our home planet! We will not let that happen! Choushinsei!"

" _FLASHMAN!"_

Kalderon recoiled in shock when they announced themselves. The GPX Rangers just looked on stunned. "Flashman?" He said. "You mean… NAGRON!"

"What?"

"Kill them, now!"

"You got it! Swabots!" A host of Swabots appeared and prepared to attack the Flashman. Kalderon teleported away, leaving Nagron alone. "Swabots, kill them!" The Swabots charged the Flashman instantly. The Flashman met them in the middle.

The Flashman were certainly impressive. They fought hard and with intensity, just like the GPX Rangers. But their fighting styles were very different from the GPX Rangers, although there were minor similarities.

The Red Ranger fought with a prism sword. The Green Ranger with prism boxing gloves or something like that. He seemed to be the strongest of the five. The Blue Ranger could turn himself into a ball. He could also jump and glide long distances. The Yellow Ranger fought with batons and the Pink Ranger's personal weapon was prism boots that she used to smash the Swabots. Like the Blur Ranger, she could jump very high up in the air.

Nagron watched the Flashman for a few more moments. Then he started to sneak away from the chaos thinking he could get away easily. He though he had outsmarted the Flashman.

Too bad the GPX Rangers noticed him.

Sean looked up to see Nagron running away from the fight. He looked over to Kevin and gestured with his head to follow him. The other Rangers got up and began to chase after Nagron. With the Flashman distracted, it would be a perfect time to leave.

"GPX, Start it up!"

"GPX, Start it up!"

"GPX, Start it up!" The GPX Rangers morphed and gave chase to Nagron.

Nagron ran all the way to Church Street at the north end of the stadium. He chuckled to himself thinking he was Einstein, like he was the smartest monster ever. "Kalderon will be pleased!" he said. Too bad he didn't notice the GPX Rangers in hot pursuit.

To prevent Nagron from noticing, the Rangers stayed behind for about a mile. The suits gave them endurance to run this distance. When they got close to downtown it was time to strike. Sean leapt over Nagron and landed right in front of him.

"What?" He shouted. "How did you—ah, DAMMIT!"

"You may be strong," said Maria. "But you're no Einstein, not by a long shot!"

"To put it bluntly, you're a moron!" said Mandla.

"If you think you can stop me, forget it!" Nagron shouted. "DIE!" He charged Sean. Sean easily jumped out of the way to avoid Nagron. Nagron had trouble stopping, but he charged the Rangers as soon as he got himself turned around. Again Kevin and Mandla got in front of him and braced for impact. He charged right into them but they held their ground.

Hitomi summoned her Am Bow and took aim. She fired and the arrow hit its mark easily. Nagron got away from Kevin and Mandla and charged her. However, Sean summoned the GT Sword and took a big swipe at Nagron. Sparks flew as Nagron struggled to stay up. Maria kept him down, shooting him with the Octane Blaster.

However, Nagron got back up. Like this would stop the Rangers. They kept at him, trying to take him down. He tangled with Kevin, the two crashing into each other. Mandla also held onto Nagron. He and Kevin were already forming a good team with their physicality. This allowed Sean and Maria to take some swipes with their respective weapons at Nagron. Hitomi drew her arrow back and shot Nagron.

However, Nagron was not done. He threw Kevin and Mandla off and took a big swipe at the two. They dodged the swipe and Nagron instead found himself on the receiving end of a backhand by Sean's GT Sword. Maria and Hitomi then both jumped and kicked him both at the same time.

Next Kevin and Mandla both slammed into Nagron. However, he threw them off and sent them flying. He swiped at Sean and he managed to hit the Red Ranger, sending him flying backwards. Of course, the girls were harder to hit. They were smaller and more agile than the boys and it allowed them to recover and come back at Nagron.

A crowd had formed to watch the fight. Maria roundhouse kicked Nagron. Nagron blocked the kick and Maria responded with a cross jab that hit easily. Hitomi jumped up on him and covered his eyes. The shark monster flailed around hit Hitomi on top of him. Of course, that gave the other Rangers some time.

Sean jumped and kicked Nagron right under the snout. He landed and ducked to avoid Nagron's swipe. However, he could not block Nagron's kick. Of course, Kevin tackled Nagron. He punched Nagron right in the snout. Nagron staggered back which allowed Mandla to elbow him to the ground.

"Grr," Nagron growled as he got up. "You little bastards, you're making me angry!"

"That's the point!" said Mandla.

"DIE!" He shouted as the ball of energy began to form in his mouth again. The Rangers prepared to scatter to avoid the blast.

"FIRE THUNDER!" Suddenly, the Red Flashman came in and slashed at Nagron with his prism sword.

"WHAT THE—Hey you, get the fuck out of here!" said Sean. "This is our fight!" The Flashman reappeared near Nagron.

"You have no right to tell us what to do!" The Red Flash replied. "We're here to take our revenge on these Zordonian monsters!"

"And we're here to protect our world!" said Maria. "Now either get out of our way," she drew her Octane Blaster, "or we'll make you!"

"You think you can threaten us?" Yellow Flash replied. "You can't even beat him!"

"For your information, we've already beaten Phaedos," said Kevin. The Flashman murmured amongst each other, surprised that they had beaten a Zordonian general. "So don't say—"

"SHIT! GET 'IM!" Sean interrupted Kevin and lunged at Nagron, who was trying to escape while the two Ranger teams argued. He backhanded Nagron with his GT Sword. That hit sent Nagron over to Red Flash who slashed with his prism sword. "GT STRIKE!"

"FIRE THUNDER!" Both Red Rangers used their special attacks and struck Nagron. In an inadvertent display of teamwork, they managed to destroy the device Kalderon had planted on Nagron, thus weakening him.

"Nitro Cannon!" Sean shouted. The engine-like Nitro Cannon appeared in front of the GPX Rangers.

"Rolling Vulcan!" shouted Red Flash. The Flashman's personal cannons combined into a gatling gun.

"Ready!" Sean shouted.

"Yellow Flash, search!" said Red Flash.

"Okay!" Yellow Flash replied.

"Aim!" shouted Maria. The cross-hairs popped up and took aim at Nagron.

"Search okay!" said Yellow Flash.

" _ROLLING VULCAN!"_ The Flashman shouted. They fired their cannon while Sean wordlessly pulled the trigger on the Nitro Cannon. Nagron stood no chance as both blasts struck him. He fell to the ground in a shower of sparks and exploded.

Of course, this being  _Power Rangers_ , that wasn't the end of it. A crystal ball appeared out of nowhere and exploded where Nagron was, making him grow.

"We need the Grand Prix zords!" Sean shouted to the UN base.

" _They're on their way_ ," said the operator.

"Indys!" He shouted. The Indys mentioned previously drove up and the GPX Rangers climbed in. "Hey big guy, come get us!" He shouted. The Rangers then drove off in the direction of the clear area at Route 423. Their efforts were successful and Nagron followed them to that area where the Grand Prix Zords were waiting. They fired their cables at him to keep him in place while the Rangers formed the megazord.

"GT Racer, online!" said Sean. It was a large, red GT race car.

"Touring Racer, ready to go!" Kevin said when he dropped into his Zord's cockpit. It was a massive blue touring race car.

"Mountian Hauler, looking good!" Mandla said as he dropped in. The Mountain Hauler was a massive green pick-up truck.

"Haz Runner, roll out!" Maria cried. It was a large, yellow hazmat vehicle.

"Am Chaser, let's go!" Hitomi said. Hers was a large, white-with-pink-trimming ambulance.

"Get your AcceleKeys out!" said Sean. The other Rangers did so. "Initiate Grand Prix Megazord sequence, go!" He jammed the AcceleKey into the key slot. The other Rangers did so as well. They gave them a twist, lighting up the dashboards.

Mountain Hauler joined with Touring Racer. The touring car split in two and rolled up to the rear wheels of the Mountain Hauler. A pair of panels adjusted, revealing elbows. At the same time, a pair of fists popped out of the back. The Touring Racer then joined with the Mountain Hauler, forming arms. Then the grill on the Mountain Hauler lifted up and the front of the truck split and a pair of extensions popped out. The Hauler then rolled up the rears of the Am Chaser and Haz Runner and joined with them. The Haz Runner and Am Chaser formed legs. Then, the GT Racer rolled up the back of the Mountain Hauler and docked with it. The large lights on the top of the Mountain Hauler rolled back and folded down. Now the Megazord was ready. It was then that several rockets fired, propelling the megazord upright. The cabs of the Am Chaser and Haz Runner stayed put, forming feet. The Haz Runner formed the left leg and the Am Chaser the right. The rear compartment of the GT Racer folded back, revealing a head. The eyes resembled goggles, and the face mask was solid. No mouth piece. A pair of wheel-like panels on the side completed it. Finally, the robot was upright. The Megazord let out some steam, ready to fight.

" _Grand Prix Megazord, online!"_ The Rangers shouted in the cockpit, seated in Indy-car style pods.

Nagron broke free from his restraints and charged the megazord. The megazord side stepped to avoid the charging shark monster. Nagron roared (which is something Earth sharks do not do) and took a big swipe at the Grand Prix Megazord. However it blocked the punch. Too bad Nagron got another hit on the megazord, making the gigantic robot stumble towards the freeway.

"Maria, stabilize!" said Sean.

"I'm on it," she said coolly. She kept her hands on her steering wheel, trying to keep the megazord stable. Her efforts paid off and the megazord stabilized right before stepping on Route 423. Unfortunately Nagron charged them and crashed into the megazord. Kevin and Mandla did their best to keep the megazord firm and in place. Hitomi tried to get them free.

The megazord threw Nagron off of it and punched him in the snout. He saggered back and the megazord advanced on him and punched him in the snout. Nagron recovered and punched the megazord. The megazord stumbled backwards, just missing the highway but crashing on its backside on the other side. "HA!" Nagron bellowed. "Pathetic!"

"Dammit," said Hitomi.

"Dammit is right," said Sean. "Come on, let's get this thing up—what the?" Three vehicles, one land vehicle and two aircraft, suddenly combined into a mostly red-and-blue meghazord.

" _Complete Flash King!_ " the Flashman shouted in the cockpit of their megazord.

"Oh, come on!" Sean shouted. "Won't those guys  _ever_  leave us alone?" The Grand Prix Megazord got up and confronted the Flash King. Flash King tried to get the GP Megazord out of the way, but the Grand Prix Megazord pushed it out of the way. However, the Flash King punched Nagron.

The Flash King got right on Nagron, punching and kicking the shark monster. The Grand Prix Megazord then punched Nagron, too.

"Time to end this!" said Sean. "Grand Prix Megazord Saber!" The Megazord saber materialized in front of the Grand Prix Megazord. Not to be outdone, the Flash King got its own sword. "Turbo Jets, fire!" The jets on the soles of the GP Megazord's feet fired and lifted the megazord off the ground.

" _Grand Prix Megazord Strike, Go!"_ The GPX Rangers shouted. The GP Megazord launched itself at Nagron.

" _Super Cosmo Flash!_ " The Flashman shouted. The Flash King energized its sword and leapt in the air and tumbled towards Nagron. He had nowhere to go with two megazords about to attack.

The Grand Prix Megazord swung its saber and stopped right after. Then the Flash King slashed him. " _Checkered Flag!_ " The GPX Rangers shouted. Nagron did not do the usual fall-n-kaboom and exploded instantly. Usually the Rangers would have celebrated by now. But with these new Rangers, things were different.

They exited the megazord and confronted the Flashman. The two Ranger teams stared each other down, neither giving an inch. There was tension, so thick you could cut it with a knife. Finally, Sean spoke. "Alright, we don't know who you are, or where you came from but from now on, stay the hell out of our way!"

"No," said Red Flash.

"No?" Sean said in disbelief. "Listen buddy, there's only room in this town for one Ranger team, and that's us! If you want to fight the Zordonians, go somewhere else, they still occupy other areas. You could easily fight there!"

"We will not fight anywhere else but here!" Blue Flash retorted. "We will not leave until Kalderon is dead!"

Sean clenched his fist in anger. He wanted to beat the crap out of these guys, but he decided against it. Instead, he decided the GPX Rangers would leave. "Come on, let's get out of here," he said. The GPX Rangers climbed into their Indys and drove off, leaving the Flashman behind.

:-:-:-:-:

"What? New Rangers?" said Rashon in shock.

"Yes," said Kalderon. "A second Ranger team appeared today. They seemed to surprise the other Rangers."

"So then these Rangers must not be related to the UN," said Rashon. "What did they call themselves?"

"They called themselves Choushinsei Flashman," said Kalderon. Rashon's eyebrows flashed in shock.

"What?" He said as he stood up. "Did you say Flash?"

"Yes," said Kalderon. "They must be from the Flash system, it's the only explanation." Rashon's eyebrows quivered. He had not considered this at all. He sat back down on his throne and put his hand on his forehead.

"This is a most unfortunate development," he said.

"How should I proceed, my Emperor?" Kalderon asked.

"Proceed as usual," said Rashon. "We will deal with these Rangers, too."

:-:-:-:-:

Sean paced around, his face still showing displeasure. He and the other GPX Rangers had unmorphed and were gathered in their kitchen talking to a holograph of Tommy Oliver, a Power Ranger from an alternate universe. "You told us we were the only Rangers in this world!" He said angrily. "Why are there more?"

"You don't understand the word 'world'," said Tommy. "A world is simply a way to describe a planet. SO I was not wrong when I said you were the only Rangers on your world, because you're the only Rangers from your Earth. You're not the only Rangers in your universe."

"You mean universe as in stars and galaxies, right?" Maria asked.

"Correct," said Tommy.

"Fuck," said Kevin. "He's right."

"So now what?" asked Hitomi.

"You keep fighting," said Tommy. "You can't get angry at these guys you have a job to do. If you get angry at them, you won't be able to fight the Zordonians. Otherwise they could take advantage of you infighting."

"A house divided cannot stand," said Sean. "Are you saying we have to work with these guys?"

"You can try," said Tommy. "I'm not sure if it will work."

"We'll try," said Mandla.

"But we're not sure if it will succeed," said Maria.

"We have to," said Sean. "If we don't, then we'll fail."

[][][]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scott McCarthy does not exist. He is an OC I use in soccer fiction, along with Kyo Yagami. I hope that explains things.
> 
> And the Flashman in this story are pretty much the same as the Sentai series Choushinsei Flashman. That's why I didn't describe their suits, because they should be known.


	4. The Reluctant Polar Bear

Power Rangers GPX, Episode 20: The Reluctant Polar Bear

"Why does it have to be cold in here?" Mandla asked as he shivered in one of the rinks at the RDV Ice Den. "I just came from a cold area and now I have to suffer with cold again?"

"Oh, just deal with it!" said Sean. He laced up his hockey skates like the borderline professional he is. Mandla had little trouble lacing up his skates. It was standing on them that was the problem. Kevin had little trouble standing on them. Maria stumbled on her skates and Bridget helped Allie get into her skates. Tommy laced up himself. Rob did not lace up. Someone had to care for Cassie, after all.

Even though the Rangers had to deal with the Zordonians and the new Flashman, they had time to relax. Zordonian attacks were usually within days of each other, not every day, so they could dedicate time for leisure. Didn't mean they weren't on alert, though. If there was an alert of an attack, they would spring into action.

Well, if you're wondering why they're going ice skating, here's the response: Why not? They're in Central Florida, after all. It gets hot and humid, might as well relax at an ice rink.

Sean jumped on his skates, eager to go. "Come on!" He said. "I'll bet I can skate circles around all of you!" Wearing his old Chicago Steel captain's sweater Sean looked the part of a long-time hockey player.

"Will you hold on?" Mandla complained. "I have to get up!"

"You've never skated before in your life, have you?" Sean asked.

"No," said Mandla. Sean burst into laughter. "We don't have rinks in Johannesburg, at least none that I've heard of!"

"I feel sorry for you," he said. "Okay, I'll let out on the ice first."

"Sure," said Mandla. "Why don't you tease Maria for not being able to skate?"

"I'll get to that," he replied.

"Come on Allie," said Bridget as she led her daughter to the ice rink. It was a slow business day. The on-ice traffic was slim so they could do as much as they wanted on the ice.

They walked and/or stumbled over to the rink. Mandla stumbled on first before a red-colored blur zipped past. They saw Sean zoom down the ice and back towards them in just a matter of seconds and stopping right in front of them, spraying them with ice shavings as he stopped.

"Come on, I haven't got all day," he said before he skated off again.

"Show-off," Maria muttered. Of course, she didn't fare so well either when she stepped onto the ice. She stumbled and fell just like Mandla.

However this time, Sean skated over and helped her up. "Ups-a-daisy," he said as he lifted her up. "Did you ever learn how to skate?"

"No," she replied.

"You and Ndebele are on the same level," he said with a laugh. "Bridget will help you get started."

"Why won't you?" She asked.

"Tommy challenged me to a race," he replied. "Let's go, Tommy! I'm gonna kick your… well you know!"

"Oh no you're not!" Tommy said as he took off to race Sean. The two left the others in their icy dust.

"Show-off," Maria muttered. She struggled to get moving, skating like a newbie. "I hate this," she muttered in Spanish. She stumbled over her skates as Sean and Tommy zipped past, the two of them locked neck and neck. Kevin was doing fine on his own, simply taking his time and Hitomi tried to stay with Maria. Mandla, well…

"I take it you didn't learn how to skate," said Bridget.

"No," she said.

"Didn't you ever learn to roller skate?"

"No."

"Roller blade? Anything?"

"No."

"That stinks. I would have expected someone from Venezuela to learn how to skate somehow." Bridget somehow hit a nerve and Maria stopped on one of the boards. She turned away and Bridget knew she must have hit a sore spot. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she said. "It wasn't my place to ask that." However, Hitomi whispered something in her ear right as Sean and Tommy zipped past. "Actually, did you ever learn how to skate in Brazil?"

"No," Maria finally said. Bridget guessed talking about Brazil isn't a sore spot for her. "I didn't get the chance."

"Well you're going to get the chance now!" said Hitomi.

"Why, are you going to teach me?" she asked.

"I can," said Bridget.

"It's weally easy!" said an enthusiastic Allie.

"She already knows how to skate?" Maria asked.

"Of course," said Bridget. "You love to skate, don't you sweetie?"

"I wove skating!" Allie chirped. Maria couldn't help but laugh at how cute the toddler was. And then Sean and Tommy sped past.

"Will you two slow down?" She shouted. "Sean, you're acting like a little kid!"

"Just leave him alone," said Bridget. "He hasn't had a chance to see Tommy lately." Of course, considering how stressful Ranger work can be, a chance to have some fun isn't so bad. "I'd love to go to Brazil some day, though."

"It's a fantastic country," said Maria. "Actually, that reminds me of my  _amiga_ Simone and this funny story. We were at Copacabana Beach on some lazy Sunday. This guy who I think was from Russia started acting stupid. We asked what he was doing and he said, 'I'm in Brazil! I can do what I want!'

But my  _amiga_ Simon shouted back, 'that doesn't give you an excuse to act like a moron!'" Bridget burst into laughter, just as Sean sped past.

"And he wins it!" He shouted in mock triumph.

"No fair!" Tommy shouted back. "You pushed me!"

"I did not!" Sean replied. "You're just a sore loser, just like—"

"Don't you dare speak of it!" Tommy shouted as he tried to chase after Sean. Maria watch bewildered, Hitomi watched confused and Bridget facepalmed.

"Hey! Knock it off, you two!" She shouted.

"Sorry Bridge," Sean said as he skidded to a stop while Tommy sped past him. Sean and Kevin seemed to exchange some words before skating off. Mandla had pretty much given up and had left the ice.

"I think I'm going to try this," said Maria. Imitating what Sean was doing, she took off away from Bridget and Allie. It was difficult for her to get used to skating, but she was getting the hang of it, unlike Mandla. Wuss. She started to gain some speed and she actually started to have fun doing it. Now she could see why Sean loved skating and hockey so much; this is fast! She kept down this, enjoying the wind in her face (even though it's indoors).

Hitomi looked around the stands and noticed Rob holding Cassie. She pointed him out to Bridget. "Say hi to daddy, Allie!" She said.

"Hi daddy!" The toddler waved. Rob waved back, a big smile on his face.

Then Hitomi saw someone near him. He had long brown hair. She eventually recognized him. "That's Marcus Schneider," she said to Bridget. "I wonder why he's watching us."

This disguise as Marcus Schneider must have been working because the Pink Ranger noticed him and didn't even recognize him as Kalderon. It must have been the sunglasses. However, she did look suspicious at how he was looking at them and figured he certainly looked suspicious to the other humans. In order to fool them, Kalderon sat down in the bleachers and just watched them without making them suspicious of him. A good disguise is one where they feel you're no threat. However, the man holding the infant was looking at him as if he recognized him-although it might not be as Kalderon, but as Marcus Schneider. Kalderon just acknowledged him and went back to watching the Rangers. The Yellow Ranger certainly looked like she was having fun.

Maria was certainly getting the hang of skating. She was going faster than she had been going earlier and enjoying the breeze of the skating. She passed Bridget and Hitomi saying a quick 'hi' as she sped past and eventually passing Tommy. Soon, she found herself coming up behind Sean. She felt like skating past him, but she had a little problem. You see, she doesn't know how to stop and it became glaringly obvious. She found herself losing control towards Sean somehow. "HEYHEYHEYHEY LOOK OUT!" She called right as Sean turned around.

_SLAM!_

It would have been a great check if it wasn't so funny. She crashed head-first into Sean and the two fell to the ice. "Ow!" said Sean. "You should have warned me earli—" He stopped when they both noticed their situation. Maria had landed right on top of Sean and now she was hovering on top of him in what could be considered a suggestive position. Now if that last passage was handled better, then it would have been funny. In fact though, Kevin was laughing his ass off. But the real humor is in their reactions.

They both stared at each other before their faces got red. Reaction in 3… 2… 1… " _GAAAHHH!_ "

"GET OF ME!" Sean shouted.

"I'M TRYING!" Maria shouted back. The two were hilariously tangled up and desperately trying to get untangled. Kevin and Mandla were laughing like hyenas while Bridget skated over to them to help them up.

"Maria, you need to be more careful," she said.

" _Lo siento_ ," said Maria, her first Spanish words in this arc.

"Although I admit it was pretty funny, but at least not for either of you."

"Obviously," Sean said as he brushed some ice shavings off of his sweater.

"I think you should teach Maria how to skate," said Bridget. Sean looked at her with wide eyes and again Kevin burst into laughter. That earned a glare from Sean before he skated off.

"Why is he wearing a hockey jersey?" Kalderon said in a fake (but convincing) German accent.

"He played hockey for a team called the Chicago Steel," said Rob. Now Kalderon obviously knew this, but he was just looking for an excuse to talk to Sean.

"I may have an offer for him," he said as he walked down to the benches. He got in and waited for Sean to notice him. He did and beckoned him over after Sean needed a little verification, he came over. " _Guten tag,_ " he said as Sean slid to a stop.

"You're that Marcus Schneider guy, aren't you?" He asked.

"Yes, good sir," he said in his fake, yet convincing German accent. "I hear you're a hockey player."

"Yeah, I am," said Sean. "Why do you ask?"

"I want to make an offer to you," he said. Sean looked at him for a moment before speaking.

"What are you proposing?"

"We could bring up an endorsement deal," he said.

"What kind of endorsement deal?" Sean asked.

"My company is developing some new hockey skates and sticks," said Kalderon.

"But I like Bauer and Easton," said Sean. It was more of a tone of disappointment. "What makes you think your stuff is better than theirs?"

"We are developing our skates and sticks in Munich," he said. "There with our German engineering," what is this, a Volkswagen commercial? "We are developing the best in skates and sticks. We think you could be a good spokesperson for us."

"Really?" Sean asked. "What are you offering?"

"Millions," said Kalderon. He could see the dollar signs in Sean's eyes. It was certainly working.

"Really? Even for a minor league player?" Sean asked.

"Sure," said Kalderon. "Its will certainly make you better than your current talent level." However, Kalderon noticed Sean wasn't happy. The human skated away from Kalderon. He was confused at first until Sean skated back, skidded to a stop and sprayed ice shavings all over Kalderon.

"Deal's off," said Sean.

"Why?"

"You insulted me," said Sean. "If you want to close a deal, don't insult your client." He skated off, leaving Kalderon standing alone.

"He rejected my proposal," Kalderon said to Eltar via their communicators.

" _Don't get angry,_ " he said in response. " _You should be prepared for these moments."_

"I suppose you're right," he said. "I have my monster in position to attack."

" _Have you come up with a comprehensive strategy?"_

"Not yet," he said. "But I will."

:-:-:-:-:

The next day (and two days after Episode 19) Kevin awoke to a cloudless day. The previous day was rainy so that's one reason they were at the ice rink. He got up, did his morning routine and prepared a nice cup of Irish tea and some Apple Jacks for breakfast, sitting down at the island in the kitchen. Usually Kevin or Daisuke was the first one to get up. Sean slept until 10:00-11:00, Maria and Hitomi needed their beauty sleep and Mandla was still getting adjusted to the different time zones.

However, Mandla was up right now and looking out the door. Kevin walked over to him. "Top of the mornin'," he said. "What are you looking at?"

"That," said Mandla. He pointed out the door and Kevin could not believe his eyes; an ice rink being built in the backyard? It was a big backyard, but an ice rink? That's weird.

"What the (YAWN) hell's going on out there?" Sean asked as he stepped into the kitchen, his hair a mess. He perked up when he saw the two. "What the hell are you looking at?"

"An ice rink," said Mandla. Suddenly, Sean burst through both of them and rushed outside. "He must be excited," said Mandla.

"No doubt," said Kevin.

"Who is that he's talking to?"

"I think that's Daisuke," said Kevin. "Now why is he… oh, now I get it; he must have paid for that ice rink."

"How nice of him," said Mandla, "Even though he's reputed to be an asshole?"

"He must be doing this as a way of saying 'sorry'," said Kevin.

"Even though Sean isn't going to like him?"

"No, he knows he still hates him. He's doing it anyway."

"I guess Rich Boy's good for something," Sean said as he came inside. "It's Super-Glide, good stuff."

"Is that an ice rink?" Maria asked as she grabbed her  _café_.

"Yep," said Kevin.

"I guess we know how Sean's going to spend his afternoons," Kevin said as he walked away. But Kevin could not help but feel a strange feeling while walking away. Sean got an ice rink while all Kevin got was a rugby ball. He kind of wished he could have the same attention Sean was getting.

Kevin was starting to fell envy.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"I want you to attack the city, said Kalderon. He was talking to a polar bear-like monster. However, the monster didn't look too crazy about attacking.

"But I don't want to!" he said. "I can't kill people!"

"I don't care!" said Kalderon. "You'll attack the city and that's an order! Got it?"

"Got it."

:-:-:-:-:-:

The day was mostly quiet. Sean just practiced on the synthetic ice. Everyone else hung out in the house. On a day like today, you wouldn't expect any Zordonian attack. But, this is Power Rangers, and knowing the nature of the series, that was bound to change sooner or later.

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Their AcceleMorphers lit up. Kevin answered, even though Sean was most likely answering outside. "What is it?" He asked.

" _We have Zordonian activity near Lake Eola_ ," said the operator. " _It's a small number of Swabots but there is a monster. Don't be fooled, this might be a powerful monster."_

" _Got it!"_ Sean's voice crackled over the other line. " _We're on our way!_ " Soon, Sean came in through the patio door, soaked with sweat, clad in socks and holding his skates in his left hand. "Alright, you heard that, let's  _move_!"

After a quick morph, the Indys screamed down the Orlando streets. Traffic was disrupted by these race car look-alikes and there were not very many happy drivers. But if they knew of the possible emergency that was unfolding, they would have been more understanding. But they don't, so it won't matter. No, the police could not catch the Rangers, either.

They stopped not too far from the actual lake itself and hid the Indys. "Let's cover the rest of the way on foot," said Sean. The other Rangers voiced their agreement and they ran to Lake Eola.

Surprisingly, there was a fewer number of Swabots than usual. The Rangers were so used to massive number of Swabots that this small number came as a shock. However, there was a monster with them. A Polar Bear monster armed with a hockey stick. "That's new," said Sean as the Rangers approached. They stopped in front of this small force. The Polar Bear noticed them.

"About time you got here!" It said. For some reason it looked like the Toronto Maple Leafs mascot.

"Should we even be scared?" Maria asked.

"Well, Polar Bears are apex predators," said Sean. "So yeah."

"Swabots, get them!" The Polar Bear shouted. The 20-or-so Swabots attacked.

It was easy for the Rangers to deal with these Swabots. There were only 20 so it didn't take long to breeze right through them. Sean just kicked around, taking out their heads with each swing of his leg. Kevin bowled into them, knocking them down like bowling pins. Mandla was a little more agile, dodging and punching at every opportunity. Maria just sweep-kicked a few down, and then shooting them. Hitomi did the same as she always did, leaping over her foes before finishing them off.

"Man, either Swabots are weak or we're just getting better," Sean remarked as soon as they were done with the Swabots. "Alright, teddy, you're next!"

"Bring it!" The polar bear replied.

"Maria, you're first," said Sean.

"Got it," she said. Instantly, she ran forward, flipped and kicked at the polar bear. The fight had begun. She punched and kicked at the monster, forcing it backwards towards Lake Eola. The polar bear was too fat to actually fight back. A bad choice for a monster, really. It looked too much like the Toronto Maple Leafs mascot to be a threat.

The NHL mascot reject stumbled backwards. It nearly fell into the water but it managed to stabilize itself. But that's when Hitomi jumped on Maria's shoulder and swung her re-painted Mountain Staff. The polar bear monster (named Pola-Killer, a terrible name, really) stumbled onto the ground, nearly crushing some geese. The Rangers ran up to him and simply stood around. It was almost pathetic, really. This lousy excuse for an NHL mascot just didn't match up to them.

"No, please! Don't hurt me!" The monster pleaded. The Rangers didn't even move.

"Get the hell out of here weakling," said Sean. "To be honest, I feel kind of sorry for you. Why don't you go to Toronto and become the Maple Leafs mascot?" With that, the Rangers de-morphed and walked away from Pola-Killer. Hitomi lingered though, feeling sorry for the monster. But, she walked away, too.

"Hey!" He shouted. "Don't walk away! I can still beat you!" However, the Rangers were in no mood to fight this creature. "Ah, who am I kidding?" he asked. "I'm useless."

:-:-:-:-:-:

"Why did I send that pathetic excuse for a monster?" Kalderon asked. "He can't fight and he's too soft. Besides, he never really wanted to fight, anyway." He lounged back on his chair and tried to come up with a new plan. However, his thoughts were interrupted when a swirl of cherry blossom leaves appeared and Tirna materialized in them.

"Hello Kalderon," said the general. "Having difficulty today?"

"Save your breath," Kalderon replied.

"How rude," said Tirna. "It seems you had a lapse in judgment. Pola-Killer is just a big… what are those stuffed toys humans carry again? Oh yes, teddy bear." Kalderon glared at Tirna and went back to thinking. The orange-haired general smirked and took it as a request to keep going. "Really, why would you have Pola-Killer attack? He's a big softie, he can't kill."

"He will," said Kalderon. "Whether he wants to or not."

:-:-:-:-:-:

The Rangers spent their lunchtime at the Orange County library café, just having some sandwiches. The monster battle had left them a little disappointed. They thought he'd be a threat; instead he was weak and didn't want to fight. While the other Rangers were just minding their own business, Hitomi looked a little upset. "I feel sorry for that monster," she said.

"How so?" asked Sean.

"I don't think he wanted to fight," she replied. "Maybe these Zordonian monsters aren't as vicious as we thought."

"I could certainly see that," said Mandla.

"Do you guys even care?" Hitomi angrily asked. "Is all you care about killing those monsters?"

"Well, no but—" Kevin was about to finish, but Hitomi wanted nothing of it.

"I don't want to hear it!" she shouted as she stormed out of the library. Maria got up and followed her friend.

"What was that all about?" Sean asked.

"Hitomi!" Maria called after her. Hitomi stopped and looked back at her best friend. "What's going on?"

"I think it's cruel what's going on with that monster," she said. "He's like a big teddy bear, he couldn't hurt anyone."

"Hitomi, we showed it mercy," said Maria. "It wasn't even worth fighting."

"You're just like the boys!" Hitomi shouted. "All you care about is killing monsters!" She stormed off, leaving Maria to wonder just what got into that girl.

"What's with her?" Sean asked when Maria got back.

"I think she believes we're too cruel," said Maria.

"Cruel?" Sean asked. If you thought he'd try to refute that, you're wrong. Instead, he thought about what the girl said. She might have a point.

As for Pola-Killer, he was still hanging around Lake Eola. A lot of people stared at him, seemingly mistrustful of him. It didn't matter to him. He was just a Zordonian monster. But, "I don't want to do this. Why me?" He sighed and looked at his reflection. A big, giant teddy bear; that's all he was. And yet, people still didn't like him. That tough-guy persona he had just didn't suit him. "Oh, I just want to—"

"What do you want?" He turned around to see a Japanese girl looking at him. "Do you want to talk?"

"Why, so you can run away?" He asked. "No one likes me."

"But I think you're just a big softie," she said, a smile on her face. Pola-Killer was surprised at this girl's words. "And there's nothing wrong with that."

"But I'm a Zordonian monster," he said. "I'm supposed to be ferocious! Aren't you afraid of me?"

"No," she said as she sat down next to him. "You weren't in the mood when we fought." If Pola-Bear had human expressions, he would have had wide eyes. "I thought you saw my face earlier. Oh, I haven't introduced myself. My name's Hitomi, what's yours?" She extended her hand and a smile crossed her face. At first he was unsure, but he extended his paw.

"Pola-Killer," he said.

"That's not a good name for a nice guy like you," she said. "You need a better name."

"Like what?"

"Oh, maybe, Poley?" Pola-Killer snorted. "Do you want to be friends?" Pola-Killer turned his head and saw Hitomi sweetly smiling at him. And dammit, it melted his heart.

"Um, friends?"

"You know what they are, right?"

"But we barely know each other," he said. "Why would we be friends?"

"Does it matter?" she asked. "Everyone needs friends." She sounded like Tea Gardner.

"But you hit me earlier!" He said.

"Okay, I'm sorry about that," she said. "But, that's no excuse not to be friends."

"Um," He paused, but Hitomi continued.

"You know, you look like a hockey mascot," said Hitomi.

"You think?" He asked, actually flattered.

"Yeah," said Hitomi. "I think you'd make a great mascot."

"Thanks!" he said. Some swans came over to them. Pola-Killer froze, but Hitomi took his paw and put some bread crumbs in his hand.

"Give them the crumbs," she said. Pola-Killer extended his hand. The swans simply ate the bread crumbs from Pola-Killer. If he had human features, he would have had wide eyes. Hitomi smiled and giggled.

"See?" she said. Pola-Killer shook his head. "You're a gentle creature at heart, aren't you?"

"I guess," he said.

"I've never met a kind Zordonian monster before," she said. "You kind of surprised me. I thought all of them were mean."

"Most of us are on the side of our Emperor," he said. 'They just want to destroy. I don't."

"It's okay," she said. "How cares about them? You can be your own monster."

"I guess I can," he said.

"There you go!" Hitomi cheerfully said. "Why don't you come meet—"

"Choushinsei!"

" _Flashman!"_ Hitomi got up and so did Pola-Killer. The Flashman were gathered in front of them.

"Get away from that beast!" Red Flash declared. "We're here to kill it!"

Pola-Killer got ready to defend himself, but Hitomi got between him and the Flashman. "Don't you dare!" she said forcefully. Any former confidence issues were gone her. "He's gentle, not a killer!"

"Get away, girl!" Flash Blue shouted. "That thing is a monster, it needs to die!"

"I wonder who the monster is," she said. "Him or you." She displayed her morpher and key. "GPX, Start it Up!" She morphed and drew her Octane Blaster. "If you dare fight him, I will not forgive you."

"You are foolish Pink Ranger," said Flash Yellow.

"No, I'm not," she said. "He's not going to kill anyone."

"Yes, he is!" came another voice. They all looked to see Kalderon throw a device at Pola-Killer. The device struck Pola-Killer and an electric current flowed through him.

"NO!" Hitomi shouted. "Poley, hang on!" However, Poley started to change. He changed from looking like a teddy bear to looking like a real anthropomorphic polar bear. He growled and thrashed around. Hitomi desperately screamed for Poley to hang on. Pola-Killer's transformation was complete and he growled at Hitomi and the Flashman.

Hitomi could not bear (no pun intended) what just happened to him. Tears running down her face, she turned her attention to Kalderon. "YOU MONSTER!" She shouted as she tried to kill him. Kalderon was actually surprised and found himself on the defensive when she started attacking him. This girl was beyond angry!" Behind them, the Flashman engaged Pola-Killer. A big swipe of his right paw sent Green Flash flying into the Lake.

"HITOMI!" Maria shouted as the rest of the now-morphed GPX Rangers arrived. Kalderon noticed them and teleported away.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" Hitomi shouted. She was quickly restrained by Kevin and Mandla.

"Hitomi, calm yourself!" said Mandla.

"Holy shit, that's a mean-looking bear," said Sean. "Colbert's gonna—"

"THIS IS NO TIME FOR JOKING!" Hitomi screamed.

"HITOMI!" Maria shouted, grabbing the girl by her arms. "Calm down, now!"

"NO!" Hitomi shouted.

"Sean, I think you guys should take care of this."

"Might as well," said Sean. "Kevin, Ndebele, let's go!"

" _Got it!"_ They said as they ran over to Pola-Killer. Mandla struck first, hitting him with his Mountain Axe. Kevin was next, roundhouse kicking Pola-Killer and spinning around to reverse-roundhouse kick him. Sean came in next, colliding with Pola-Killer.

"GRAAAAHHHH!"

"Oh, crap, he's gone feral!" said Kevin. Suddenly, Pola-Killer's mighty paw slammed Kevin and he flew into a tree, grunting in pain.

"Kevin!" said Sean. However, Pola-Killer rushed him and swung his paw at him. He ducked and rolled between the bear's legs. He side kicked Pola-Killer in the back. It really wasn't very effective, though. He too was subject to Pola-Killer's massive paw, leaving Mandla. Mandla ducked as the paw swiped at him. He tried to sweep-kick, but those massive legs were too big to move. Pola-Killer swung his paw downwards and Mandla rolled out of the way.

A pair of laser blasts distracted Pola-Killer. The Flashman had recovered. "Oh, great." said Mandla. "HEY! Get out of here!"

"No!" said Flash Red. "Pink, Yellow!" Pink and Yellow rushed forward, jumped, flipped and kicked Pola-Killer. In the immortal words of Pokemon, it's not very effective.

"They're not going to do much," said Mandla. "SEAN!"

"I'm up!" He said. Unfortunately, he didn't look so great. Mandla picked up the Mountain Axe and brandished it in front of Pola-Killer.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go!" Pola-Killer roared and charged him. Okay, he's a smart guy, so he got out of the way.

"NO! DON'T HURT HIM!" Hitomi shouted, still pulling against Maria.

"Hitomi, calm down, please!" Maria pleaded. While the boys and Flashman struggled against Pola-Killer, Hitomi was too overcome with anger to actually listen. Maria had only one option. She knocked Hitomi to the ground and pulled her helmet off. There, she could see just how this experience had affected her. Maria hesitated at first before winding up her arm.

_SMACK!_

Hitomi stopped, holding her cheek. " _Chica,_ get a hold of yourself!" said Maria. "You cannot let anger control you," she calmly said. "Please, stop. There's a better way to avenge Poley."

"How?"

"How did he turn savage?"

"Kalderon threw something at him," she said. "It might be like that device on Nagron."

"That's it!" said Maria. "I have an idea."

While Mandla struggled with Pola-Killer's massive arms, the Flashman tried to fight him. Flash Red slashed at him with his prism sword. Pola-Killer's hide was too strong for the prism sword to even do any damage to him. Kevin had gotten up and was trying to restrain Pola-Killer from mauling Mandla. Of course, a massive bear vs. a Power Ranger isn't the best match-up you can think of. "Dammit Kevin, help me out!" He said.

"I'm trying!" said Kevin. While Pola-Killer pushed down on Mandla, Kevin pulled out his blaster and shot him point-blank. It worked and Pola-Killer got off Mandla. "You okay?" He asked as he ran over to Mandla.

"I'm fine," said Mandla. Flash Pink used her prism boots and jumped up to stomp on Pola-Killer. She was swatted out of the air by Pola-Killer's massive paw.

"This is not good," said Red Flash. None of their attacks could do anything to stop Pola-Killer. Then—

"GRAH!" An explosion in Pola-Killer's back distracted him easily. They looked to see Sean holding his Slap Shot Stick.

"Probably should have done more, but this is good enough," he said before winding up for another shot. He fired and hit Pola-Killer again. Pola-Killer roared and charged him. Sean tossed the stick away and drew his Octane Blaster and converted it to his GP Sword. He blocked Pola-Killer's paw with the sword and then rolled out of the way, converting it back to the Octane Blaster.

Another pair of shots came from Kevin's direction. He had pulled out his Touring Rifle and fired a couple shots. The angry polar bear charged Kevin. Kevin ducked out of the way while Pola-Killer stopped. Sean, Kevin and Mandla regrouped in front of Pola-Killer. "Great, now what?" Sean asked. Pola-Killer roared and got ready to charge them.

Just then, he stopped and roared in pain. The guys and Flashman watched as an electric current flowed through Pola-Killer and he revered from a feral killer back to the cuddly teddy bear he had been before. He dropped to the ground and the Rangers saw who had done that.

" _Hitomi?"_

She lowered her bow. There were tears in her eyes, but a smile on her lips. Then she dropped it and ran over to him. "Poley!"

Poley groaned while Hitomi rushed over to him. Sean, Kevin and Mandla watched while Hitomi asked if he was okay. "I'm fine," he said. "Why did you shoot me?"

"It's what friends do," said Hitomi. Sean smiled, recognizing Hitomi's words. However, he turned to see the Flashman.

"Rolling Vulcan!" said Flash Red. The cannon charged up and the Flashman prepared to fire. Kevin raised his rifle and fired a pair of shots that knocked them over.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sean shouted. "He's no threat anymore!"

"We won't stop until we get our revenge," said Red Flash.

"Even if it means killing him?" said Mandla. "Look at him; he's not going to hurt you! Now get out of here!" Kevin raised his rifle and Sean and Mandla pointed their blasters at them. The Flashman stayed firm, though, but Poley got up, surprising the Rangers.

"Leave now," he said. "I won't let you hurt my friends." Underneath his helmet, Sean looked surprised. The Flashman recognized it was time to leave.

"We'll be back," said Red Flash. They dismantled the Rolling Vulcan and departed. Poley turned around and smiled at the three male Rangers. Hitomi smiled at the four of them.

"Thank you," she said.

A few minutes later, Poley was saying his good-byes to the Rangers. They were unmorphed and calm. Poley was leaving, but it wasn't because he was afraid of the Rangers. "So you'll try and keep in touch?" asked Maria.

"Yeah, I'll try," said Poley.

"Why do you have to leave?" Hitomi asked, tears streaming down her face. "We just became friends, why can't you stay?"

"Because I want to become a hockey mascot," he said. Sean snickered. Hitomi smiled, though, remembering her earlier words.

"Okay then," she said. "But please try and keep in touch."

"I will," he said. Then Sean extended his hand to Poley.

"I'm sorry for calling you weak," he said. "I guess being a big softie isn't so bad."

"It's okay," said Poley, "Bad first impression." Sean laughed, shaking Poley's hand. Then Hitomi came and hugged Poley.

"Goodbye," she said teary-eyed. "I hope your dream comes true."

"Goodbye Hitomi," said Poley. "I'll miss you… friend." Hitomi threw her arms around him and he hugged her back. The other Rangers smiled at the pair, not even bothering to interrupt the moment. Then they broke their hug and Poley walked away to parts unknown, waving good-bye to the Rangers.

:-:-:-:-:-:

Kalderon brooded in his apartment. Pola-Killer was a failure. He was never that much of a killer, anyway. It was a terrible, idea, really. But, the aggression enhancing device he used might be useful at a later time. But, it had its drawbacks. He needed to figure out how to make it smaller. As he flipped channels, he thought about his prospects for his next plan. Then, he came across someone.

" _Good evening America!_ " said the pudgy, crew-cut wearing host named Ben Dreck. " _Tonight, I want to tell you about the movement by progressives to subvert this republic!"_ Kalderon smiled. He had an idea.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

End chapter


	5. The Boys of Summer

Power Rangers GPX, episode 21: The Boys of Summer

New York City; The Big Apple; the City that Never Sleeps; you get the idea. Sean hates this city (Chicago-New York rivalry, baby). But why are we starting here and not in Orlando? Well, here's why: Aside from the fact the company he owns (taken over) is based here, there's a media personality he wants to meet. And the conflict with the Rangers would change as soon as he gets done with him.

"This is it, Rockefeller Center," the cab driver said. "That'll be 14 bucks."

"Here you go," Kalderon said as he handed the money to the cap driver and stepped out on the curb. The cab driver drove away while Kalderon waited on the curb. Kalderon, disguised as Marcus Schneider, had a few things he wanted to do here. First, he needed to go to the Fox News headquarters.

The receptionist there was busy talking on the phone to her boyfriend. She was ignoring most of the people in the lobby. Except when Kalderon showed up, that is. "Excuse me," she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, my apologies," Kalderon replied. "I wanted to meet one of the personalities here. Is there anyway I can get in?"

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No, but—"

"Listen, I can't let people in all willy-nilly. I need to know why you're here."

"If you had let me finish, I would have told you," he said. "My name is Marcus Schneider and I want to meet with Mr. Armour."

"Marcus Schneider?" She asked. Kalderon nodded. "Hold on, I'll call him." She picked up the phone and dialed the network's president. "Hello? Yes, I have someone named Marcus Schneider here… okay, sir, I'll send him up. Mr. Armour says he can see you."

" _Danke,_ " Kalderon replied as he walked past the receptionist.

After a short elevator ride, he was shown to the office of network president Ronald Armour. Mr. Armour was an older man. His girth was not something to be envious of. Of course, Zordon had a few people like him. "Mr. Schneider," Armour said as he shook Kalderon's hand. "It's a pleasure to see you."

"It's a pleasure," said Kalderon.

"So what can I do for you?" Armour asked as the two sat down.

"I come here with an offer," said Kalderon. "I was just watching a fellow named Ben Dreck."

"Ah, him," said Armour. "He's one of our most popular personalities, although he has been under fire for his message and for calling the President a racist."

"I see," said Kalderon. "Well, I saw his program and I decided my company could be a sponsor for his show."

"We would appreciate that," said Armour. "He's had several hundred advertisers boycott him lately."

"I would like to purchase a series of 30-second spots," said Kalderon. "Although you know I am German, our message would be to promote our American ties. Americans make up most of our employees after Germans, after all."

"We would appreciate that," said Armour. "By the way, would you like to meet him?"

"I would be glad to," said Kalderon.

Kalderon was led to the studios and eventually to Dreck's dressing room. Kalderon waited as the woman knocked on his door. "Mr. Dreck!" She called. "Someone's here to see you."

"Who is it?"

"It's Marcus Schneider."

"Let him in." The woman let Kalderon into Dreck's dressing room. Dreck was a little pudgy, unlike Armour. He also had thinning hair. When he looked at Kalderon, he had sort of a crazy look to him. "Hello," he said.

" _Guten tag_ ," replied Kalderon. "I watched your show recently, and I was very intrigued."

"Really?" he asked. "That's great; at least someone wants to hear my message." Interesting fellow, he is.

"That's nice," said Kalderon. "I too fear socialists; that is why I'm going to be sponsoring your show."

"Even better," said Dreck.

"However, there is a group that concerns me more than the President," said Kalderon.

"Really, who?" Dreck looked very interested. Kalderon's plans were about to begin.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

When you go to Florida, there's really only one reason you go there. Yeah, Disney World is a good guess, but it's not the reason. You go there for the sun. It is summer 2010 in Orlando. And while an intergalactic conflict rages, the people of Orlando went about with their daily lives. That included the people involved in said conflict; the Power Rangers. The citizens of Orlando have no idea that the Power Rangers are really 5 college-aged youngsters. And yes, they have lives, too.

" _But I can see you—  
_ _Your brown skin shinin' in the sun  
_ _You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby  
_ _And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong  
_ _After the boys of summer have gone_ "

Maria lowered her sunglasses and looked at the radio. For some reason, the song lyrics accurately described her appearance. She shrugged and pulled the hair band tying her hair in a ponytail off. She shook her hair out and let it splay out on the deck chair she was laying on. She took a deep breath and relaxed.

 _SPLASH!_  And then she got splashed.

"Sorry!" Mandla called out. It's a massive cannonball, folks. And he's not the only one in the pool.

"Marco!" said Sean.

"Polo!" said Kevin. With his eyes closed, Sean could not see Kevin right behind him. He did hear him though and tried to find him. But, Kevin's a sneaky son of a gun, staying behind Sean. Really, this is just some college-age kids trying to enjoy whatever time off they can get. They know that at any moment the Zordonians could attack and end their fun time.

Mandla swam by and pushed Sean into the water. Maria could not help but chuckle as Sean came up for air. His hair covered up his eyes. He looked kind of stupid. "Time for a haircut!" said Mandla. Sean just glared at him.

"You need one, too," said Kevin.

"Why?" Mandla asked. "They'll just cut off my dreads."

"Why, do you want to look like Bob Marley?" Kevin asked.

"No," said Mandla.

"Hey, where's Hitomi?" Sean asked.

"I think she's still mad about letting Poley go," said Kevin.

"Well, we couldn't keep him," said Sean. "He would have been one hell of a burden on us."

"Hey, Hitomi!" Mandla called out. "Get out here, you're missing out!"

"Could you keep it down?" Maria growled.

"Well, sorr-y!" said Sean. "Why don't you just come in? Although looking at that itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny yellow polka dot bikini isn't too bad." Sean dodged a bon-bon Maria had thrown. "Why don't you call Hitomi out?"

"Hitomi!" Maria called. "Come on  _chica,_ everyone wants to see you!"

Hitomi eventually came out wearing a two-piece. She looked embarrassed to be in it. Probably because she couldn't pull it off like Maria could; or because she's too modest to wear something like that. "Hey, you don't look too bad!" said Mandla. Hitomi blushed a little more, but she also looked annoyed.

" _Chica,_ you're not going to gain any self-confidence if you keep telling yourself you look bad," said Maria.

"Easy for you to say!" said Hitomi.

"Hey come on, you look good!" said Sean. Hitomi blushed again, but this time she didn't look annoyed. Sean didn't notice this and went back to swimming.

"Aren't you going to go in?" Hitomi asked when she came up to Maria.

"No," said Maria. "I don't want to. I'd rather work on my tan."

"Okay," Hitomi said as she jumped in the pool. This splash was smaller and didn't piss Maria off. So she lay back and relaxed.

That is, until Sean got out of the pool and started messing with the iPod. Suddenly, Maria was jolted out of her relaxed state by an energized drum beat and Sean going, "Doo do doot, doo do doot, doo do doo doo do doot, doo do doo doo doo!"

"Sean, what the hell is that?" she said as she bolted up.

"It's 'Chelsea Dagger'!" He replied. "It's the Hawks' goal song!" Maria sighed in annoyance and lay back down on the beach chair. She tensed up when Sean splashed back into the pool. He could have splashed her!

"Watch it!" She shouted.

"When did you become so grouchy?" Hitomi asked.

"I don't want to get wet," said Maria.

"That's not an excuse!" said Mandla.

"If it is, it's a lousy one," said Sean. "Come on Mari, just jump in, ya 'fraid of getting wet?"

"Don't call me Mari!" she shouted. But Sean could not tell she was blushing. Maria went back to reclining, but the others would have none of it.

"Come on, Maria!" said Kevin. "Get in the pool, already! We can't have all the water to ourselves, you know."

"I need to work on my tan," said Maria.

"To be honest—and no offense intended here—but you're already pretty tanned," said Sean. This earned a glare from her. "Sorry. Anyway, do you want to get skin cancer or something? My aunt had it; she's rid of it now, but that's not the point. The point is, get in the bloody pool!"

"I'm not sure what you were trying to say in the first place," said Maria.

"Can you even swim?" Kevin asked.

"Of course I can swim," Maria countered. "I just don't want to get wet!"

"Maria, you already got wet, now get in here," said Sean. "Or else Hitomi will have to use her ' _moe_ '-ness to convince you."

"I'm not sure if that will actually convince me," she said.

"Hitomi." Hitomi got out of the pool and walked over to Maria. "Unleash the  _moe_!" She took a deep breath and gave the Venezuelan a " _moe_ " look. It's a powerful weapon that only a few girls have ever perfected. It was already working on Maria.

"Please?" Hitomi asked, trying to be as cute as possible. Maria looked away, quickly. But Hitomi only upped the cuteness ante. Puppy dog eyes as big as dinner plates!

 _Must… resist… cuteness!_ But no matter how much Maria tried, resistance was futile! For you see, Maria likes cute things, as well. Eventually, her resistance ended. " _Tu es muy bonita!_ " She said, grabbing Hitomi and hugging her to her chest. While Hitomi blushed in embarrassment, the guys were laughing their asses off.

"Can you get her in the pool?" Sean asked.

"No," said Maria. The guys groaned. Hitomi frowned, not happy the  _moe_ face didn't work.

"Okay, Operation  _Moe_ didn't work," said Sean. "Forget it, just drag her in here."

"Okay!" Hitomi said, grabbing Maria's arm. For a little girl, she has some decent strength and actually got Maria out of her chair and dragged her over to the pool steps.

"Sorry Maria, but you have to play with everyone," said Sean. Hitomi's efforts paid off and Maria was in the water. "Ooh, can you call Tokyo with those?" Goodnight, everybody!

" _ _¿Por qué no te callas?_ " _she replied, covering her top.

"Too late," he replied. An angry Maria got out of the pool and wrapped her towel around her waist. That is, until she saw a small blur coming right at her. She side-stepped and avoided a collision with Allie. This time, Maria didn't stand a chance, as she got splashed by the three-year old.

"Unca Sean!" she said enthusiastically, her water wings keeping her afloat. "Lookit me!"

"Wow, you're doing great!" he said, leading her over to him.

"What happen'ta Auntie Maria?" She asked. Maria turned around and glared at her. Sean looked as innocent as possible. "Hi, Auntie Hitomi!" she said. Maria sighed. Apparently, that's what she called everyone. "Hi, Unca Manny," she said.

"Hey, that's a good nickname for him," said Sean. "Maybe we can start calling him that."

"It's better than 'noobie'," said Mandla.

"Allie, where's your mommy?" Sean asked.

"She's in there," Allie pointed to the house. Right on cue, Bridget (holding Cassie), Rob and Tommy came out.

"I think you may need to change Maria," said Sean.

"Why?" Maria asked.

"Cause of him," he said, pointing to Tommy. "He's an innocent little kid, ya know?"

"Why don't  _you_  grow up?" Maria asked, walking back into the house. "I hate filler episodes," she muttered.

Once inside, she did change, but it was her normal tank top and Capri get-up. While tying her hair back, she noticed Bridget at the sink. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Oh, hello Maria," said Bridget. "I'm just washing these apples off for everyone.

"That's nice," said Maria. She grabbed an apple for herself. "So why aren't you swimming?"

"I could ask you the same question," said Bridget. Maria sighed while Bridget chuckled. "I'm going to go swimming; I just need to get the apples. Allie really wanted them."

"Alright," said Maria. "By the way, tell your brother sexual harassment's wrong." She left before Bridget could say anything else.

Outside, Rob had the grill open and putting some meat, veggies and fruit (yes, you can do that) on. Tommy, Sean, Kevin, Mandla and Hitomi were playing with a beach ball in the pool. Allie was out of the pool and Cassie was inside. Maria sat down at the patio table, sitting in the shade. The summer heat was getting to her. Of all the places for her knife to land, it had to land in Central Florida; should have aimed for Hawaii.

But, she has lived in Brazil. If she could handle that, she could handle Florida.

"Maria, could you help me with something?" Rob asked,

"Sure," she replied. She went over to see the items on the grill. They smelled good, but they didn't look very appealing.

"We have burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fish," nothing that she was crazy about. "We also have veggie burgers, veggie dogs and corn." Okay, that's not too bad. "I need you to put these apples on the grill while I check the propane. Can you do that?"

"Sure," she replied as she took the apple slices. Placing them on, she watched as Rob checked the propane levels. He twisted the knobs around. The flames flared up to her surprise.

"Sorry," he chuckled. "Just a little more… good."

"How did you learn how to do this?" she asked.

"It's an art form," said Rob. "My grandpa taught it to my dad and he taught it to me. Do you want to learn?"

"It sounds nice," said Maria. "But I think Sean would rather learn."

"I'm reading about it," Sean said. She jumped only slightly. "Sorry."

"I wish I could stop getting surprised," she muttered. "But since you're so hockey-obsessed, I'd think you wouldn't have any room inside that brain of yours to learn how to grill."

"Ha, ha, very funny," he replied. He was still shirtless, but it didn't really do much for her; she'd already seen him shirtless in Japan.

"Sean, could you get Bridget for me?" Rob asked.

"Sure," he replied as he jogged inside.

"Maria, I don't really need much help anymore," said Rob. "You can go now."

"Whatever," she said as she strolled away from the grill.  _I still hate filler episodes._

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

In Armour's office, Kalderon finished writing a contract. The purpose of the paper was to advertise on the Ben Dreck show. Kalderon finished writing the contract and handed it to Armour. "I appreciate it," said Armour, shaking his hand. "I just hope this is enough to keep him on air. There are a lot of people who want us off the air." Kalderon raised his eyebrow. He's a peculiar individual.

" _Bitte_ ," Kalderon replied. Armour wasn't quite sure what Kalderon just said. "I said you are welcome."

"Oh, okay," said Armour. "I don't know German."

 _Maybe you should learn,_  Kalderon thought. Armour handed the paper to a secretary. "It is a pleasure doing business with you," said Kalderon. "Oh, and what do you think of the Power Rangers?"

"I am not sure," said Armour. "They seem suspicious."

"I cannot decide," said Kalderon. "But I doubt they're anything serious."  _This should trick him._

"Maybe," said Armour. "It was a pleasure." He shook Kalderon's hand and Kalderon left the office.

Once back outside, he hailed a cab. The nearest cab stopped and he stepped in the cab. "Plaza Hotel," said Kalderon. The cabbie nodded and drove off. Twenty minutes later (New York traffic) Kalderon arrived at the Plaza Hotel (the same hotel in  _Home Alone 2_ ). He walked inside, back to the lobby and back to the hotel room he was staying in.

He took off his suit jacket and placed it on the chair he had. He walked over to the window and stared out at Manhattan. It was an impressive city (for some humans). The fact they'd actually built this city was a testament to their abilities. Now, if only they can get rid of the smell, then he'd be even more impressed.

But New York was not his main target. He had other plans. He took out his communicator and contacted the ship. He waited for a moment before a voice replied, " _What do you need?_ "

"I need to speak with the Emperor," said Kalderon. There was silence at the other end. It was a few moments before he heard Rashon's voice at the other end.

" _What is it, Kalderon_?" he asked. " _And make it fast; I was asleep._ "

"My apologies, My Emperor," said Kalderon. "I intend to give you a report on my mission."

" _What progress have you made?"_ Rashon asked. " _Have you defeated the Rangers yet?_ "

"Long-term success should be a priority too," said Kalderon.

" _I see your point,"_  said Rashon.

"I have made a deal with the Fox News Network to advertise on their programming," said Kalderon. "My alias' company will be the advertiser."

" _That is pleasant_ ," said Rashon. " _But it's not the progress report I wanted._ "

"There is more," said Kalderon. "If things go well, the Rangers will face their deadliest enemy yet."

" _I like this already,"_ said Rashon. " _You have my approval. Proceed as planned. In the meantime, keep up your attacks on the Rangers. I do not care if you defeat them in the short or long term."_

"Thank you, My Emperor," Kalderon replied. The transmission was ended. Kalderon smiled to himself. His plan was in place. All he had to do was fight the Rangers.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

"Alright, the food's ready!" Rob exclaimed. There was a mad dash out of the pool and the house. Sean, who had gotten dressed, rushed out of the house. Maria followed, holding Allie in her arms; Bridget asked her to hold the toddler. They gathered at the patio table where Rob and Tommy were setting the table. "Is everyone here?" Rob asked.

"Wet's eat awweady!" Allie shouted.

"My, you're eager," said Bridget. "Okay, everyone! Dig in!"

Dinner was pleasant. Mandla and Tommy talked a lot. Hitomi really enjoyed talking with Allie. Kevin and Rob talked while Sean and Maria stayed silent. There wasn't much else to discuss. Maria ate her veggie burger slowly while Sean ate his burger rather quickly. The two hated being ignored by their own friends (and family). The only person they could talk to? Each other. GASP!

"So," said Sean. "What's up?"

"Not much," she replied. "You?"

"Eating."

"Same here."

"Wow, you two make—" The two shot a look at Kevin, shutting him up.

"Maria," said Bridget, trying to ease the tension. "What's wrong with your veggie burger? You've hardly touched it."

"It's good," said Maria. "I'm just in a bad mood."

"Same here," said Sean. Bridget sighed and shook her head.

"Sean and Mawia are—" Sean silenced Allie before she could say anything else. The toddler wasn't too happy about it.

"Sean," said Rob. "What do you think of the Power Rangers?" Sean raised his eyebrow as if to wonder what Rob was thinking.

"They're vigilantes," said Mandla. "I don't know what they're doing, but it's stupid. I mean, who dresses up in multi-colored costumes and use violence to solve their problems?"

"Superman does," said Sean.

"Forgot about that," said Mandla. "They're still ridiculous."

"I think that's what most people think," said Rob. "Ben Dreck doesn—"

"Rob, why do you watch him?" Sean interrupted.

"I don't," said Rob. "I was at a friend's house and he was on."

"Whatever," said Sean. "I still don't like him."

"Why is that?" Maria asked.

"Well for one thing, he hates hockey," said Sean. Maria should've expected that. Sean said a few other reasons he hated the pundit, but she ignored them. It was just political drivel, nothing of her concern. Luckily for her, he's not a Soapbox Sadie, so he kept it quick.

"I don't watch him anyway," said Rob. "So I don't care about him."

"I think he's a meanie!" said Allie.

"That's not very nice," said Bridget. Kevin just laughed.

"Next time we do this, let's not have a political discussion," he said. Of course, since Bridget and Rob checked up on them almost daily, the next time would most likely be tomorrow.

"He's right," said Rob. "We're here to have a friendly conversation on a nice, summer day. You might as well enjoy these days. I just wish I enjoyed them when I was a kid."

"That's good thinking Rob," said Sean. "Tommy, don't you agree?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, getting his first lines of the chapter, "As long as we don't go to Disney World."

"Wet's go ta Disney Wowrd!" Allie declared. Tommy slammed his head on the table.

"Me and my big mouth," he muttered.

"Sorry Tomas," said Sean.

"Shut up," he said.

"Tommy, that's not nice," said Bridget.

"It seems snarkiness runs in the family," Mandla said as he took a bite of his salad. "This is entertaining."

"I'd love to go to Disney World!" said Hitomi. "I've been to Tokyo Disney, but I've never been to one here in America."

"You're excited," said Rob.

"The Japanese love Disney," said Sean. "I saw Disney stuff all over the place in Tokyo."

"He's right," said Hitomi.

"Well, I think it's a great idea," said Bridget. "I think we should go to Disney World sometime." Sean and Tommy groaned.

"I didn't come down here to go to Disney World Bridge," he said. "Let's go to Gatorland, instead."

"We will," said Bridget. "But Allie's never been to Disney World. I think we should." Sean and Tommy groaned again.

"Hey! I've never been to Disney World," said Maria. "Don't you think maybe  _I_ would like to go?"

"You can go," said Sean. "I don't!"

"Okay!" Maria chirped. Sean slammed his head on the table. Mandla patted him on the back, almost sarcastically. Sean raised an eyebrow and glared at him. Like it really mattered, anyway.

The little meal continued pleasantly. Rob and Bridget were growing on the other Rangers and just like Godai-san and Hikari, were becoming like family (for Sean, they  _were_ family, though). They still had some ways to go, though. But for now, they were becoming good friends with them. When it ended, they moved inside. The sun was going down and it was time to finish up.

"Let's watch a movie!" said Bridget.

"No Disney," said Sean.

"We're not watching any of your movies," said Bridget. Really, would any kid want to watch  _Slap Shot_? "Let's watch  _Aladdin_ ," she said. Sean slumped in the couch while Allie cheered like the little girl she is. "Sean, where's Maria?"

"I don't know," he said.

"I saw her outside," said Mandla. "I think she was reflecting."

"I'll bring her in," Sean said as he got up. The rest of the group just settled in as he walked outside. "Hey Maria!" he said. "Everyone's wai—" He stopped. His eyes widened as he saw Maria.

Bathed in the dying sunlight, she looked like nothing he'd seen before. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. His eyes widened as she turned around, her brown skin shining in the sun, hair combed back and the radio on. A strange feeling rose in his chest. He could not quite explain it. But he felt like she was important to him; like she… well, he couldn't quite figure it out.

"Yes?" She asked as she looked at him. He stammered and tried to correct himself.

"Everyone's waiting for you," he said. "I think you should come in."

"That's nice," she said. "I guess I'll come in. Thanks for warning me."

"You're welcome," he said. She smiled at him; a sweet smile, not a sarcastic one. It had a strange effect on him and he started to blush. But she didn't notice it. He was happy she was smiling. Is that normal?

"Come on, let's go inside," she said. Sean nodded and watched her walk inside before him. The smell of her hair was incredible. It made him feel at ease and he watched her go inside. "Hey, are you coming?" She asked as she grabbed his hand. He felt strange as she pulled him inside.

"Hey, hey," he said as he took his hand away. "Take it easy, will you?"

"Sorry," she replied. "Come on, let's go!" she went inside and he gladly followed her. At the time, he still couldn't quite tell why he felt that way at that exact moment. It's possible that in a few years he'd be able to tell.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

End chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is a filler episode… or is it? But I think I needed to write this to give the GPX Rangers some time to relax.


	6. A Rude Awakening

Power Rangers GPX, Episode 22: A Rude Awakening

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

The last episode was filler. It wasn't badly-written filler, but filler nonetheless. Now that it's over we can get back to the actual plot and Ranger fighting. That's what everyone's here for, right? Well, then, let's get back down to business.

Kalderon was looking for a way to keep his plan in motion. He wasn't quite ready to tell everyone what it is, so we won't go over it. Instead, he's facing a different problem; the monsters. The last time he sent one down to Earth, it turned out to be a powder-puff teddy bear with no will to fight. These creature-based monsters were going to be a problem if he wanted to beat the Rangers in the short or long term. The best bet for him was the Empire's cyborg or machine monsters.

And that is what he was here for.

He marched into Emperor Rashon's throne room, throwing Swabots around that got in his way. He needed to speak with Rashon, there was no way a simple Swabot would get in his way. Even Liaria was pushed out of the way. The Emperor's consort was not too pleased about Kalderon's rudeness. But he didn't care. He didn't like her, anyway.

Rashon just happened to look up as Kalderon marched into the room. He raised his eyebrow a la Stephen Colbert (a reference that would fly over his head). Kalderon pushed some Swabots out of the way, much to Rashon's displeasure. At first he though the general was angry at something he did. But then Kalderon kneeled in front of the Emperor. "My Emperor!"

"What was the purpose of your entrance?" Rashon asked. "You nearly destroyed two whole Swabot squads."

"My apologies," said Kalderon. "I beg for your forgiveness."

"I will grant you forgiveness," said Rashon. "Now, what is it you need? I assumed your plan was underway."

"It is, my Emperor," Kalderon said as he raised his head. "The plan will take time to produce results, so until then, I need something from you."

"I see," said Rashon. "What is it you need?"

"The Rangers are becoming complacent," Kalderon said as he stood up. "I intend to send a message to them. My last monster was a cream puff who did not want to fight. I want a vicious, powerful creature for them to fight. If they have to be partially or fully mechanical, so be it."

"Anything else?"

"Yes," Kalderon replied. "I want powerful Swabots, too. The Rangers cut through them like paper. I want our best Swabots."

"Do you care if you kill them?" Rashon asked. "And by 'them', I mean the Rangers?"

"If they are killed, then so be it," said Kalderon. "I do however, expect them to fight as hard as possible and maybe even come out victorious."

"You have studied the Rangers," Rashon said. He was impressed. "Very well, then. You shall have your strike force. If you succeed, then I shall be grateful. If you fail… then you will be given another chance. I am basing this on your current plan. If this was not the case, I would dispose of you."

"Yes, my Emperor," Kalderon replied. "My monster shall do his best!" He stood up, bowed, turned around and left the room.

As he did, he heard the sound of wind blowing. He turned around to see Tirna chuckling. "Do you really have a decent plan?" the feminine general asked. "Or are you lying to the Emperor?"

"Why do you not go and suck up to Master Zentor?" Kalderon shot back. "You seem to be fond of him."

"How rude!" Tirna replied as Kalderon walked away. But Tirna glared back at him. He'd been in Tirna's way for too long.

:-:-:-: _ **We're the Best Chance, for Humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, Let's Go!**_ :-:-:-:

It was a fine summer day in Orlando. It was partly cloudy, humid, but in the lower 80s. The temperature was actually comfortable for once. A lot of people were outside today, enjoying the sun. Some were relaxing on the shore of Lake Eola, others were at Disney World or Universal Studios. Whatever they were doing to relax, it didn't matter. Even though the threat of intergalactic attack was still hanging over them, it was best to go about their business.

As that goes on, the focus shifts to a red 2010 Ford Mustang driving down I-4. The driver is none other than Sean O'Callahan, GPX Red Ranger and Hitomi Miyazawa, GPX Pink Ranger. The XM radio was set to a hard rock station and the song "Surrender" by Cheap Trick began playing. Hitomi began seat dancing to the song. Sean looked over at her with his sport sunglasses. "You like Cheap Trick?" he asked.

"Yeah!" she replied. "I love them!"

"They're from Rockford," said Sean. "My mom loves them, she has the  _At Budokan_ album and she's played it more times than I can count."

"I think one of my aunts was at that concert," said Hitomi.

"Oh, that's nice," said Sean. "I wanted to go to a show in Tinley Park, but—hold on." His phone began ringing and he switched on his Bluetooth earpiece. "Yo!"

" _Oi!_ " Maria shouted. " _Where are you, and why is Hitomi gone?_ "

"Oh, sorry about that," said Sean. "I'm just taking her to the INS office on Corporate Centre Boulevard."

" _INS office_?" Maria asked. " _Why?_ "

"Turns out she made a mistake," said Sean. "She filled out the wrong dates for her visa and we have to either correct it or get the form to renew her visa."

" _Oh, okay,_ " said Maria, " _My mistake. And does Rob know you took his Mustang?_ "

"Of course he knows!" Sean replied. "I asked him if I could drive it, he said 'yes'."

" _Alright!_ " Maria said. " _Let me know when you're coming back, okay?_ "

"Okay," said Sean. He hung up the phone and went back to driving. "You nervous?"

"A little," she replied. "I hope I can get this form."

"Hey, you got the first visa just fine, you should get it renewed," Sean replied. Hitomi nodded and smiled at him. Then, she decided to speak.

"I've met a nice girl," she said. "Her name's Katie. She seems really nice."

"Are you gonna be friends with her?" Sean asked.

"I hope so," said Hitomi. "She seems to really like me."

 _Sounds like a lesbian_ , Sean thought to himself.  _Eh, she might not be, who cares if she is or isn't. Who knows, this girl might be a good friend for Hitomi. I mean, she needs someone to talk to_ _besides_ _Maria._

"How much farther is this place?" Hitomi asked.

"Not too much farther," he said, "Looks like this is our exit." He turned the car off the expressway and onto Route 528 East. Unfortunately for Hitomi, it took a while longer. But the navigation device helped out a lot and they eventually found the immigration office near McCoy Airport.

"Maybe I should have mailed the form in," Hitomi said as she got out of the Mustang.

"Probably," said Sean. "But you wanted to do this in person, so I just went with your request."

"Darn," Hitomi scowled.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

About two hours later the two exited the office and left for the house. Hitomi finished the form and had her visa renewed for another couple months. Since they could not find a concrete date for her to return to Japan, they went with the dates. Hitomi felt satisfied with the results, despite the wait (the American jokes turned out to be true).

"Let's take the long way," Sean said as he turned on the engine.

"Where are we going?" Hitomi asked.

"I'm going to find 408 and go downtown," Sean replied. "I'm hungry." He pulled the car out of the area and eventually turned north onto Semoran Boulevard. Hitomi watched the scenery go by in the Mustang while Sean concentrated on driving. He then merged onto 408 heading west. Sean then called the house and asked Maria, Mandla and Kevin to join them downtown.

"So is this Katie girl nice?" Sean asked as they were on 408.

"She's very nice," said Hitomi. "She lives on our street, too."

"How old is she?" Sean asked.

"She's 20," Hitomi replied. "By the way, do you hate Mandla?"

"Of course not," said Sean. "What made you ask that?"

"Well, you rarely talk to him," said Hitomi.

"He still needs to prove himself as a Ranger," said Sean. "But he also has some anxieties that he needs to overcome. He's not a coward; he's just not used to being a Ranger. But I do feel that when the time comes, he'll rise to the occasion."

About 10 minutes later they reached the limits of downtown, the high-rises in sight. Sean got off 408 and began looking for a place to park. But it wasn't long before he noticed something in the rear view mirror. He looked concerned as the object closed in on the Mustang. "This doesn't look good," he said to himself.

Then, the object fired a pair of laser beams. Sean tried to keep the Mustang from veering off the road as best he could. "FUCK! ! !" he shouted. Then, he turned the car off the road as the object flew by. "Oh, man, oh man, I hope it's not damaged," he said as he got out of the car. A stunned Hitomi got out of the car.

"But we were almost killed!" she said. "Where are your priorites?"

"Rob's gonna have my head if his Mustang's damaged!" Sean replied, looking at the front of the car. Luckily, there was no damage.

"HELLO, RRRANGERS! ! ! Sean and Hitomiu turned around and got into a fighting stance, Sean in a southpaw and Hitomi in an orthodox. The monster approached. It looked mechanical and humanoid. It had a blue, bulky body and a face that looked like Guyver. A pair of shoulder pads contributed to its large appearance. "I am GARGOTRON! ! ! I am here to  _ **KILL**_  you!"

"Great, he must be Zordonian," said Sean. "Oh well, he should be easy."

"Swabots, attack!" Gargotron shouted. A bunch of Swabots appeared. They didn't look like the usual Swabots; no, they looked much more sleek and dangerous. But Sean and Hitomi didn't heed any warning. Instead, they waited as the Swabots came closer, and then started fighting.

The two fought ferociously, landing punches and blows on the new Swabots. It was much more difficult than previous fights. But this wasn't clear at first and the two had little trouble dispatching the Swabots. They did fight in tandem at times, but they weren't quite used to doing that with each other.

Sean tried to get closer to Gargotron. Suddenly, a red-colored Swabot stepped in his path. Sean gave it a one-two punch. The Swabot ducked each punch. It retaliated with a one-two of its own. Sean ducked and blocked before countering with a roundhouse kick. He gave it a quick left hook but it grabbed him. It shoved him into a yellow Honda Civic. Sean grunted and felt the blow in his back, but he did not have time to suffer. The Swabot tried to kick him but he got out of the way.

Unfortunately, he ended up in front of the Mustang. The Swabot showed him no sympathy, punching and kicking at him. Sean tried to block each attack before saying, "Wait—stop!" Surprisingly, the Swabot stopped. "Can we move? I don't want to damage this car. My Brother-in-law will kill me if his car is scratched, dented or damaged in anyway. So can we please move?" To his surprise, the Swabot honored his request… by grabbing him by the collar and tossing him into the street. "Not what I had in mind," he said to himself.

Hitomi had little trouble of her own by comparison. But one blue Swabot stepped up to confront her. She did a little spin move and tried to kick the Swabot in the head. However, it blocked the kick and tossed her. Luckily her gymnastics instincts kicked in. She flipped over backwards and saved herself from the pavement. The Swabot assaulted her, throwing punches and kicks at her. She blocked and countered as best she could despite being physically weaker than the Swabot.

She ended up on the street to the bewilderment of some pedestrians. However, she got back up and started to fight back against the Swabot. The Swabot ran over to her and grabbed her hair. She hollered while it carried her away. But she stepped on its foot enough to distract it. She then elbowed it in the gut. It let her go and she kicked it in the chest. It staggered backwards while she made her escape.

Sean was busy blocking some Swabot kicks and punches when he decided it was time to kick it up a notch. He broke free and ran over to Hitomi. "Looks like we're going to have to kick things up," he said. He displayed his morpher. "Ready?"

"Ready," she said.

" _GPX, Start it—_ "Just then, the Swabots fired their blasters at them. The two scattered and took cover behind some trees.

"Dammit, these guys are good," Sean growled.

"How?" Hitomi asked.

"They know we're at a disadvantage when we're about to morph," he said. Just then, a pair of blasts got them out of there. "Keep moving!" he said. He pressed some buttons on his morpher. "Kevin! Maria! Ndebele! We're at the intersection of East Church St. and Lake Ave.! We are under enemy attack!" A pair of explosions kept him moving. "JUST GET THE FUCK OVER HERE  _NOW_! ! !"

It was like a war movie the way the scene was unfolding. Explosions were going off from the Swabot blaster fire making it difficult for Sean and Hitomi. Hitomi took cover near a building while Sean was cornered in the lot. Out of desperation, he pressed a button on his morpher. The fuel pump nozzle-shaped Octane Blaster materialized in his hands and he immediately returned fire.

He took out a couple Swabots before turning to Hitomi. He gave her some covering fire before she was able to get away. "GPX, Start it Up!" she called, jamming the AcceleKey into the AcceleMorpher. There was flash of pink and Hitomi was transformed into the Pink Ranger.

Using the AcceleKey, Sean turned the Octane Blaster into the Grand Prix sword. Some Swabots rushed up to him and he swiped at them, taking them out. This gave him time to escape. "GPX, Start it Up!" he yelled as he jammed the key into the morpher. In a flash or red light, he morphed into the Red Ranger.

The two fought back. Now morphed, they began to turn the tide against the Swabots. But these things were still dangerous. They gave the two a very hard time. It was best they work as a tandem. But the Swabots knew better. They kept them separated to prevent that from happening. But that didn't stop them from trying to help each other. Sean converted the Grand Prix Sword back to the Octane Blaster while Hitomi was held by Swabots. A couple of shots and they were off her.

She returned the favor when he was thronged by Swabots. The bots were starting to overwhelm him when two of them exploded in sparks. Two more were hit before Sean looked to see Hitomi drawing an arrow on her Am Bow. She gave him a "V"-sign. He replied with a thumbs-up and went back to kicking Swabot ass.

But despite their determination, the sheer number of upgraded Swabots was starting to get to them. Fatigue was setting in. It was harder for them to fight off the waves of Swabots that were converging on the one intersection. Hitomi kept falling to her knees. The Swabots would start to overwhelm her, but she kept on fighting.

Sean, on the other hand, refused to show any exhaustion or weakness. With all his will, he stood tall and fought hard. He knocked back each Swabot as best he could. To kick things up a notch, he pressed on his belt buckle. The GT Sword materialized and he grabbed it in his right hand. Now dual wielding the GT Sword and the GP Sword, Sean was able to keep the tide in his favor.

But he looked to the corner and noticed Gargotron lounging;  _LOUNGING_! "That bastard!" he said. He swung both swords to start cutting a path through the Swabots. But there was so many of them he had difficulty. "Hitomi! You think you can get to Gargotron?"

"I'll try!" Hitomit repliedas she released her arrow. Sean gave her some covering fire while she drew her arrow. Once she was aimed, she released it. The arrow cut through the air. Gargotron stood up and effortlessly cut it down.

"Dammit," Sean groaned. The Swabots weren't going to let him get complacent. They started attacking again. "Where the hell are they?" He asked. He blocked and parried as many Swabots as he could. But their sheer numbers and the Rangers' lack of them was getting to them.

Hitomi's fatigue was getting to her. She was spending more time on the pavement than actually fighting now. The Swabots were closing in on her. Not even Sean's covering fire would help. It seemed—

Then, the Swabots exploded. Hitomi looked around, confused. There was not way they could have exploded like that! The only explanation would be—

"Looks like we got here just in time!" said Kevin, holding his smoking Touring Rifle. Maria and Mandla brought up the rear.

"About time you got here!" Sean said as he threw a Swabot off. "What took you so long?"

"Traffic," said Maria.

"Traffic?" Sean asked. "Why didn't you take the Indys?"

"We did take the Indys," Maria said as she joined up with him.

"That doesn't sound good," he said. "Let's do this."

"Got it."

With the reinforcements, the Rangers were able to turn the tide. Sean and Maria fought together while Kevin and Hitomi fought as a tandem. Mandla rotated between fighting alone, with Sean and Maria, and Kevin and Hitomi. But each Ranger also alternated.

"So how was the trip?" Maria asked while stabbing a Swabot for Sean to finish off. He swung the GT Sword downwards and cut the robot in half.

"Hitomi's application was accepted," he said as he pushed a Swabot over to her. She stabbed it with her Haz Dagger. Then, he took her hand and pulled her to him. She hacked at a Swabot behind him while he took care of the one behind her. The Yellow Ranger broke free and flipped over a horde of Swabots to start fighting alongside Mandla.

Kevin switched over to Sean. Sean cut down the Swabots with the GT Sword while the Blue Ranger shot them. Kevin bent over and Sean flipped over him to take out a pair of Swabots. "Are you tired?" Kevin asked as he pulled the trigger twice.

"Kind of," Sean lied. "You think you can give me a power boost?"

"Don't think so," Kevin replied. Two more Swabots fell to his rifle. "Ask Maria."

"Dammit," Sean growled.

Meanwhile, Hitomi got a power boost from Mandla. Those two started fighting in tandem. Hitomi fought well with him. Mandla swung away with the Mountain Axe. Hitomi kept the Swabots at bay with her Am Bow. Then, he kneeled down and let her step on his feet. He flipped her in the air. She fired an arrow at the Swabots while in the air. She landed and two Swabots fell to the ground. Next, Mandla decided to give another option a try. "Help me out here," he said. Hitomi covered him while he threw the axe at the Swabots

Sean cross blocked a Swabot short sword. He threw it off and countered. A quick swing and a thrust later, the Swabot was down. He and Maria were fighting in tandem again. Maria jumped on Sean's shoulders, flipping in the air. She thrust the dagger into the Swabot with a crunch. Sean followed up by cutting off its head.

It was not long before the Swabots were done. Their broken pieces teleported away and the tired Rangers turned their attention to Gargotron. Gargotron stood up and walked over to the Rangers. They readied themselves for him.

"Should we attack him now?" Mandla asked.

"No," said Sean. "That won't work." He learned his lesson in episode 7. "We attack on my signal. We do this as a team. Got it?" The Rangers nodded.

"Well?" Gargotron taunted. "Are we going to fight or not? COME AT ME! ! !"

"Hold it," said Sean. However, Gargotron got impatient.

"GET READY! ! ! HERE IS COME! ! !" Gargotron charged the Rangers.

"Shit, SCATTER! !" Sean shouted. The Rangers scattered. Gargotron stopped and prepared. "Alright, let's GET 'IM! ! !" Sean shouted.

They didn't have to get him. Gargotron came to them. He pulled out a large sword and attacked. He swung a massive backhand at the Rangers. They ducked out of the way and Sean cross blocked the sword. Gargotron applied the pressure to Sean, pushing him down. But Sean pushed Gargotron off and countered. But Gargotron parried his attack and punched him;  _hard_.

Sean slid for five feet before stopping before Kevin and Mandla leapt at Gargotron. He pushed them both back. Kevin got back up and charged Gargotron. He tried to tackle Gargotron. But the robot stepped to the side. Then, he just swatted Mandla out of the way. Mandla groaned on the ground. He could see Sean barely stand up.

Hitomi and Maria were next. "Lightning Throw!" Maria tossed the electrified daggers at Gargotron. He knocked them down with little effort. Hitomi released an arrow but Gargotron just swatted it down.

"Did you actually think that can trick me?  _HA_!"

"This doff's getting arrogant!" said Mandla.

"Fucking jagov," said Sean. He struggled to stand up, holding the side where he had his broken rib. "Man, I hate to say it, but this guy's tough. Where are the Flash Rangers where when we need them?"

"You fool!" Gargotron said. "The Flashman are not coming to help you! We already have them taken care of!"

"Fuck!" said Sean. "Alright, that's it. We need the Nitro Cannon." The engine-shaped cannon appeared in front of them. "Alright, ready!" Sean said as he grabbed the trigger.

"Ai—"  _KABOOM_! ! ! Maria didn't have a chance to say it. Gargotron fired an energy blast at the Rangers. The cannon was destroyed.

"DAMMIT! ! !" Sean growled. "This guy's better that I thought."

"What do we do now?" Maria asked.

"We keep fighting," said Sean. "Let's do—GAAAH! ! !" Gargotron rushed Sean and punched him; HARD. He didn't let up. He punched Kevin and Mandla next and then tossed Maria and Hitomi to the side. Sean, being the stubborn bastard he is, got back up. The other Rangers followed suit.

Sean rushed Gargotron and tried to check him. But Gargotron stepped out of the way and kicked him to the ground. Next, Kevin tried to tackle him. But Gargotron stopped him with a hand to Kevin's helmet. He tossed him to the side. With little effort, he swatted Mandla to the side. He caught Maria's knives and threw them back at her. Hitomi flipped and was knocked out of the air. "You fools!" he said. "I know every one of your tricks! I know how you fight and you can't surprise me! Even if you switch fighting styles, I will still—"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! ! !" Sean yelled. He got up and charged Gargotron. The other Rangers tried to help. Kevin fired a couple of shots that were blocked. Mandla rushed him, but Grgotron swatted him away. However, Sean was right in front of him, the GT Sword's blade glowing with energy. "GT STR—OOF! ! !" Gargotron punched him in the gut. He fell to the ground, holding his stomach in pain.

"Is that the best you can—ARRGGGH! ! !" Suddenly, he was engulfed in electricity. He fell to the ground. Maria's Haz Dagger was embedded in his back.

"Sean!" Maria said as she removed her dagger.

"Got it," Sean said as he got up. He pointed the sword down and prepared to strike. But Gargotron disappeared in a flash of light.

The Rangers were tired. Their suits were damaged. Their bodies were aching with pain. The suits disappeared, showing off their bruised skin. They just barely escaped getting killed. But they needed better.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

"Excellent work, Kalderon!" Rashon said as he shook the General's hand. "The Rangers are bound to be on alert, now!"

"Gargotron has been one of my best soldiers," said Kalderon. "It was only natural I call upon his services."

"Yes, but Gargotron's circuitry has been fried," Eltar said as he entered the conversation. "It will be some time before he is fully repaired."

"The Rangers were fortunate," said Rashon. "But their tenacity worries me."

"Their tenacity is foolish," said Kalderon. "I do not understand why they are content to fight a losing battle."

"Speaking of which," said Rashon, "Our forces have been pushed out of our previously-held territories by Terran militaries. I feel the Rangers may simply be a distraction. Also, the Juraians have made great gains in the past several days. We may have to divert forces to the Juraian front."

"I understand," said Kalderon. "This war must be ended soon."

"But your plan will take time," said Rashon. "I hope it can be completed soon."

"It will," said Kalderon.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

"Ow! Take it easy, will you?" Sean said as a UN nurse treated his bruises and wounds. Turns out he aggravated his broken rib. Luckily for him, it was in no danger of puncturing any internal organ. It did hurt a lot, though. And no, the Mustang was not damaged.

The Rangers were being treated by UN doctors and nurses at the house they lived in. They only had a short amount of time before Bridget and Rob showed up. It wasn't just bruised bodies they were treating, but bruised egos, too. It wasn't as bad as the first fight against Phaedos, though. The only one who was really in bad shape was Mandla. This was his first real beating. Hell, he didn't even get much in!

The doctors and nurses continued their work. But the ringing of Sean's phone interrupted them. "Keep it quiet, please." He said. "Hello? Oh, hey Bridge… oh, not much. No, Rob's Mustang is fine. When? Oh, 45 minutes? Okay, bye."

"What now?" Maria asked.

"Bridge will be here in 45 minutes," said Sean.

"And Col. Greene will want to talk to you," said one doctor. "We'll stay for ten more minutes. It should not take long to finish up."

"Okay," said Sean.

_Ten minutes later…_

With the Rangers all patched up and healed, the doctors and nurses left the house. Sean pulled out his laptop and looked for Col. Greene on Skype. Even US Army officers use it. Col. Greene's picture appeared on screen. " _Hello Rangers,_ " said Col. Greene. " _I saw the battle on CNN._ "

"Great," said Sean. "So what now?"

" _Your_   _suits were not up to the task_ ," said Col. Greene. " _They're in desperate need of an upgrade. Put your keys and morphers into that teleportation device on the kitchen counter._ "

The Rangers—save for Mandla—took their morphers to the kitchen table. Mandla sat on the couch and Maria had to take his morpher. They put the morphers in the device. They disappeared in a flash of light. " _You'll keep the current suits_ ," said Col. Greene. " _But there may be some changes. We should have them done by tomorrow._ "

"Thanks Colonel," said Sean. The Colonel hung up. Now it was time to talk to a certain paleontologist. Sean went into the closet where he kept a glowing rock. Next, he put his hand on the top of the rock. The other Rangers watch while a hologram appeared in the kitchen. Kevin,a Maria and Hitomi came into the kitchen. Mandla stayed on the couch.

The hologram of Tommy Oliver sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "What do you guys need?" he asked.

"We had some trouble today," said Sean. "Some hammy robot beat the crap out of us."

"I saw that," said Tommy. "It looks like you guys were in for a rude awakening."

"What do—"

"I mean, you got too complacent," Tommy said to Hitomi.

"Complacent?" Sean asked as if Tommy just told him to cheer for the Red Wings.

"Did I stutter?" Tommy replied. He got in Sean's face. "You did not think of the possibility the Zordonians would actually  _learn_ from you."

"Shit," said Sean.

"These are not the dumb villains most of us had to face," said Tommy. "From my observations, they're smarter than most of our villains. Gargotron is like the Psycho Rangers Andros and his team fought. The difference is, he's using his own style. If you think you can change your fighting style to beat him, forget it."

"Great," said Sean. "The Zordonians are good. He didn't let us morph. He even destroyed the Nitro Cannon."

"He's dangerous," said Tommy. "You have to be on guard. I'm not telling you to be paranoid. Vigilance is the key. You need to recognize that any enemy could be deadly."

"Got it," Sean said, nodding his head. "We'll do what we can." Tommy's hologram dissipated.

Bridget and Rob arrived 20 minutes later. Bridget had a pizza with her and Rob asked about the Mustang. Sean was able to explain the car was okay. The Rangers did their best to relax, but Mandla's refusal to join them and the previous fight made it difficult to do son.

Being a Power Ranger isn't all it's cracked up to be.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

End chapter


	7. Mandla's Finest Hour

Power Rangers GPX Episode 23: Mandla's Finest Hour

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

Mandla looked at his Facebook page. The posts were all old friends from Jo'burg wishing him luck in the U.S. Some of them were black, some of them were Afrikaners. It didn't matter to him. Apartheid was in the past; the future was all that mattered. But looking at his friends going "Howzit brah" made him feel a little homesick. A lot of them were gushing over how much fun they had during the World Cup. The fact Mandla had an American friend seemed to interest them.

But by all accounts, Mandla was not happy. The others didn't treat him so well. Sure, they were nice to him, but when morphed, it was a whole other story. After the last fight against Gargotron, Mandla was especially upset. He'd been tossed around like a sock puppet by the Zordonian kill-bot. It was embarrassing. His Zulu ancestors would be ashamed of him… like he'd care about being a warrior.

But the main problem was how to deal with Gargotron. The robot must have been programmed with their fighting information. He used that knowledge to narrowly beat them. It took a combination of teamwork and luck to beat it. But there was the lingering dread that the machine could come back to finish the job. The fact the suits were already damaged made it worse.

The others already dealt with this. Mandla had not. He wondered if they even had a chance to beat the Zordonians. He wondered if he even belonged with the Rangers.

He let out a sigh and stood up, grabbing his phone. He wanted to get out and clear his mind. The stress of being a Power Ranger could kill him someday if he wasn't careful.

He stepped downstairs and put on some sunscreen. It was best to be sure. As he applied the stuff, Sean just happened to be walking out of the bathroom near the foyer. "Where the hell are you going?" The American asked.

"Ag, I don't know," said Mandla. Sean raised his eyebrow. He still wasn't very familiar with South African slang.

"By the way Ndebele," said Sean. "Are you going to clean up the sink? It's your turn today."

"I'll do it just now," said Mandla.

"Great, I'll get a sponge," said Sean. He walked in the kitchen when Mandla said,

"No, don't you know what 'just now' means?"

"Yeah," said Sean. "It means immediately. Now get in the kitchen."

"Not in South Africa," said Mandla. Sean looked at him like he just spoke Chinese. "I'm not going to do it right now. I'm going out."

South Africa and the United States: two countries separated by a common language.

"Great," said Sean. "This is the same problem I had when I first met Kevin. My moms were laughing at how much I misunderstood him."

"Moms?" Mandla asked.

"Are you going to do the sink or not?" said Sean.

"I will just now," said Mandla.

"If you're not gonna do it, just say 'no'!" said Sean.

"Then 'no'!" said Mandla.

" _Much_ better," said Sean. "When are you going to do it?"

"Just now," said Mandla.

"ARRRGGGHHH! ! !" To be honest, Mandla did that on purpose. "Just do the damn dishes," Sean growled.

"Okay, I'll do it now now," said Mandla.

"That'd better mean immediately," said Sean.

"It does," said Mandla.

Everyone did chores at the Ranger house, no matter how menial. It was part of living in the same house. Everyone chipped in. Even Hitomi, who lived with a maid, butler, etc, had to do the chores. It just so happened today Mandla had to do the dishes. He'd probably have to do the laundry next. He was madder about having to do them on a nice day. It was also because the dishes were hard to do. The food had already caked, making an easy job difficult.

"Next time, rinse your dishes first," Mandla grumbled.

"Sorry about that!" Sean called from the couch. "Why are you wearing a Springboks jersey, anyway? I thought—"

"That's in the past," Mandla said. "Besides, I don't even remember apartheid."

"Oh, right," said Sean. "That's fine."

"I just wish you would respect me as a Ranger more," said Mandla. Unfortunately, Sean heard him.

"You haven't proven yourself yet," Sean said, putting his elbows on the head of the couch. "Sure, you're nicer than Rich Boy and you make an attempt to be our friends, but until you prove yourself worthy to fill his boots as Green Ranger, forget it."

"I think you made that obvious," said Mandla. And that little beat-down by Gargotron didn't help one bit. There was also the homesickness and his anxieties. They're not a good combination.

Mandla eventually finished the dishes (Took long enough). He put the sponge on the edge of the sink and walked away. "Where are you going?" Sean asked.

"I'm going out," said Mandla. "I'm taking the LYNX downtown."

"Take your morpher," said Sean. "It's on the island counter." Mandla looked on the island counter and noticed the AcceleMorpher and AcceleKey. He picked them up and walked out. "One more thing!" Mandla stopped. He sighed in frustration and turned around. "We're supposed to be getting new track jackets. They'll help us keep our secret identities."

"Track jackets?" Mandla asked. "That sounds terrible."

"Well what would you prefer?" Sean asked. "A green-and-black racing suit with the words 'Doki-doki delight' on it?"

"On second thought, I'll take the track jacket," said Mandla.

:-:-:-: _ **We're the Best Chance, For Humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, Let's Go!**_ :-:-:-:

Kalderon's long-term plans needed short-term help. For that, he needed to act against the Rangers. It was a sad and monotonous job, but it had to be done; send another monster to Earth and see if the Rangers can defeat it. Could there not be a more efficient and interesting way to defeat them?

One way is, as the Terrans put it, "shake things up". He did not have to kill the Rangers; capturing them was an option. His best chance was when they were all separated. And the time was now.

"This robot will be enough to handle all five Rangers," said Eltar. "Once they are captured, we will send down organic soldiers to guard them before the transport."

"That is good," said Kalderon.

"But what if they escape?" Eltar asked. "Have you—"

"That is the reason the robot is going down," Kalderon said, putting his hand on the prince's shoulder. "I have taken the possibility of escape into account. The Rangers are resilient. We must take all possibilities into account."

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

Mandla hopped off the LYNX bus in downtown near the library. He walked away while the bus went in the opposite direction. Mandla put his headphones on and turned on some R&B. He started walking again, listening to some John Legend. It wasn't as bad as it was earlier in the week. The temp was down to 75; but was humid as hell. Johannesburg could be hot, but it was a dry heat. Even Americans understand the preference for dry weather.

Alone in his music, he zoned out. He also thought to himself. After the e-mail promising him a chance to find employment in America, he jumped at the chance. But those dreams were dashed. He never really wanted to be a Power Ranger. He just acted excited about it so no one would figure out he didn't want to be here.

The others were dedicated to the job. He wasn't. He just wanted to get this fight over with so he could go back to Johannesburg.

There were also his previously-mentioned anxieties. He would get nervous before morphing. Once the adrenaline started flowing, that would change.

He sighed. If only things were easier. Why did he have to be a Power Ranger? They should have found someone else, like a Russian or a Pole. If he could, he'd get out of this job as soon as possible.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

Meanwhile, Sean left the gas station holding a granola bar. He took the wrapper off and turned into an alley, taking a bite as he turned. Suddenly, he felt something grab his wrist. He tried to struggle as a Swabot took hold of him. Grunting, he tried to punch it. But another Swabot had his left hand. Then, he found himself being pushed to the ground and swarmed with Swabots. He struggled as much as he could, but it was no use.

He looked up and glared at a robot walking over to him.

At the same time, Kevin was grabbed from behind as he walked down a street. Maria was knocked unconscious and Hitomi was whisked away without knowing what happened to her.

The Project Ranger command frantically tried to find them. Col. Greene rushed around the Pentagon's PR control room trying to find out what happened. Only one Ranger escaped… because he turned his morpher off.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

Mandla had wandered into a slightly run-down neighborhood. He wasn't quite worried about it, though. He'd seen the townships; they were much worse than this. This place seemed a little better off. But the looks of some of the people creeped him out a little bit. He tried to ignore them. The area was an African-American neighborhood. He thought they must not have seen a man in a Springboks jer—OOF!

He found himself bumping into someone. His headphones were knocked off and the person he bumped into had fallen to the ground. An older man shook his head across the street before going back to checkers. Mandla got off the person and tried to help them up. He also reached for his headphones, which were playing Bob Marley by now. "I'm terribly sorry," he said as politely as he could.

"Could you be a little more careful next time?" The person asked in a feminine voice. "You nearly—" She stopped when she got a look at him. The green apron she was wearing was a little dusted. Mandla's heart stopped.

She was a beautiful black woman, around his age. Her jet black hair was tied in a ponytail and her skin was slightly lighter than his. Her brown eyes looked at him with interest. "It's safe my girl," he said.

"Excuse me?" She asked. "I don't think I've ever heard that word before."

"I'm terribly sorry," he said again. "I said it was fine."

She paused as she listened to his voice. Then she said, "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No," he said. "I'm from Johannesburg."

"Ah, I see," she said. "Your accent kind of gave you away."

"I said I was sorry," he said.

"It's okay," she said. "I can tell you didn't mean it."

"Can I make it up to you?" He asked.

"No," she said. "I could apologize to you, because I was in your way, sweeping."

"Sweeping?" He asked.

"I work here," she replied. "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Jasmine Bullock." She extended her hand.

"I'm Mandla Ndebele," he replied, shaking her hand.

"Why don't you come in, we can talk?" Jasmine asked.

"I like that," said Mandla. Jasmine led him inside the store.

The place was a small grocery store. It was a small place, and it looked like it had been that way for a long time. In the back there was a small deli (there was a sign that read deli). It was a nice place. The owner must have looked after it with care. "This is one of the older markets in the neighborhood," Jasmine said as she led him down the store. "The reason it's been able to compete with places like Wal-Mart is because of its competitive prices and because it's so vital to the community."

"That's hundreds," said Mandla. She gave him a look and laughed.

"I'll need to get used to that," she said. "The owner is my uncle Rufus. He's owned the store since the 1970s. He even marched with Martin Luther King in Alabama."

" _Hhayibo_ ," said Mandla.

"Uncle Rufus!" Jasmine called out. "We have a visitor I want you to meet!"

"I'm coming!" a voice called from the storeroom. An older gentleman came out of the storeroom. He had a darker skin tone than Jasmine. He also had a graying mustache and hair that peeked out under a red baseball cap. A pair of glasses adorned his face. He smiled and extended his hand. "Well, who might you be?" He asked.

"I'm Mandla Ndebele," he said.

"Where you from?" Rufus asked.

"I'm from Johannesburg—South Africa."

"Ah, isn't that where they just had the World Cup?" Rufus asked.

"Yes," said Mandla.

"I wasn't really into soccer, but after the US went to the final, my wife convinced me to watch," said Rufus. He had warmness to him. "Well, what can I get you?"

"I've never tried turkey before," said Mandla. "I will have a turkey sandwich."

"Ham and cheese," said Jasmine.

_A few minutes later…_

"You've seen a lion?" Jasmine asked. "In the wild?" Mandla nodded. "Aren't you afraid?"

"I'm not afraid of lions," said Mandla.

"Why not?"

"They are lazy." Jasmine burst into laughter.

"So you don't remember apartheid?" Jasmine asked for confirmation.

"I was a baby when it was abolished," he said.

"Right, sorry," said Jasmine. "Rufus remembers the Civil Rights Movement. If you ask him, he might tell you a few things."

"That sounds good," Mandla said as he took a sip of his Pepsi.

"You know, I can be a good judge of people," she said. Mandla looked at her. "I can tell you're a nice guy, but from the way you hold your Pepsi, you look a little tense and nervous."

Mandla sighed. "I'm kind of nervous," he said. "I don't know if my team can actually count on me."

"How?" she asked.

"I tend to get nervous," he replied. "I don't want to tell anyone but… I'm not sure if I'm the right person for the position."

"You need to believe in yourself," said Jasmine. He looked at her. "You shouldn't care about what others think, you have nothing to prove to them, just yourself. I know your soccer team can win, you just have to believe in yourself and you will win."

Mandla smiled at her. "Thank you," he said.

"Anytime," she replied. "I need to get back to work. Oh, here's my phone number if you want to talk again." She handed a little piece of paper to him. He smiled as he got up to leave.

Just then, he heard his AcceleMorpher beep. He panicked and rushed away to try and make sure no one heard him. "What is it?" He asked.

" _Where have you been, Ranger Green?_ " Col. Greene accosted him. " _We have to turn your morpher on manually!_ "

"I'm sorry," said Mandla. "I just—"

" _That's not important right now!_ " Col. Green interrupted. " _The other Rangers have been kidnapped and you need to go save them now!_ "

Mandla's eyes widened and he took off.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

Maria glared at the Zordonian soldiers. The Rangers were confined in a force field being prepared for transport to the Zordonian ship. Several soldiers walked around, examining the Rangers. Any attempts to escape had failed.

"Why are you doing the empire's dirty work?" Sean asked a random soldier.

"It is the Swabots who perform most of the fighting," said the soldier. "We are the empire's elite soldiers."

"Yes, but why do you let the Swabots—"

"The Swabots prevent large casualties," said the soldier. "Less mothers have to worry about their son or daughter dying."

"For an unknown cause?" Sean asked. "Why do you try to conquer? Do you really—"

"Our people are proud of our empire," said the soldier. "If you are trying to make us question our mission, you will fail."

"Who do these guys think they are, Vulcans?" Kevin asked.

"Where is Mandla?" Hitomi whispered.

"My guess is they haven't found him," said Sean. "Looks like he's our best chance."  _Come on, Ndebele, where the hell are you?_

Mandla rushed to the warehouses where his teammates were being held. His heart was racing. He'd taken the LYNX bus to this area and jumped off the bus. Using his AcceleMorpher, he tried to find the others with the GPS feature. If his friends at Joburg University knew about this, they'd be pretty surprised.

He frantically searched for the others. The GPS was plagued with interference. He growled. He gave the morpher a tap. He was getting frustrated.

Just then, he saw two men in strange clothes speaking a strange language. He ducked behind some crates. He listened as they talked among each other. They turned around and walked back the way they came. Mandla followed them.

Meanwhile, the Rangers were still waiting to be taken off planet. It was beginning to hit them they lost their fight. They thought of their families and friends. Hitomi started crying in the corner of their little cell. Sean was still trying to figure out a way out of their situation. But he could not come up with anything. Kevin and Maria were giving up hope.

 _It should not end like this!_ Maria thought.  _There must be something we can do._  She noticed Sean banging his head on the force field. If he thought it was going to help, forget it.

"Please let us go," Hitomi begged. "We have our own families. What would they think?"

"This is kidnapping," said Kevin. "You go through with this and every military on the planet will be after you."

"Prepare the prisoners for transport," the Zordonian commander said calmly.

"Yes, sir." The Rangers' spirits sank. There was nothing they could do. All they could do was wait to kiss their lives good-bye. Kevin hung his head in his knees. Maria placed her head against the force field. Hitomi cried and Sean put his face against the force field. He was defiant to the end.

Mandla reached the warehouse the team was being held. He looked inside to see them waiting to be taken away. His blood boiled. There was no way he was going to let this happen…

But his anxieties popped up. He wasn't sure if he could do this. What if he failed? What if he died? He sighed. He wished he'd never been a Ranger. This was not his destiny. His destiny was to help the people of the townships…

 _You need to believe in yourself_ , Jasmine's words echoed through his mind. He realized something. If he failed, then the people of the townships would be in danger. His friends and family would be in danger. The whole  _world_ would be in danger! He had to save his teammates.  _You just have to believe in yourself and you will win_. Fuck anxiety, he needed to act!

He put his hand to his chest and took a deep breath. Then, he stepped inside. "Howzit, brah?" The Zordonians and the Rangers looked at him.

"Ndebele!" Sean shouted. Mandla took out his key. He displayed his morpher.

"GPX, Start it Up!" He jammed the key into the morpher. In a flash of Green light, he was the Green Ranger. "Let's go!"

"Get him!" The Zordonian commander shouted. The Swabots and soldiers rushed Mandla.

Mandla met them halfway and fought back. He blocked a Zordonian soldier's punch. He countered with a punch to the soldier's face. With the others cheering, he tore his way through the soldiers. He did not try to kill them. That was not in his nature. He spun around and kicked one of the soldiers down.

A Swabot grabbed him from behind. He threw the Swabot off. The he punched its head right off. He kicked one of the Zordonian soldiers in the chest. He grabbed a Zordonian soldier's hand and countered with a jab to the face.

"Go Mandla!" Hitomi shouted.

"Kick their fuckin' asses!" Sean shouted.

Mandla jumped on one of the crates to avoid a Swabot. He jumped off and kicked the Swabot in the head. He flipped backwards to avoid a Swabot sword and kicked it in the head. He blocked a Zordonian's punch and countered with a jab to the stomach. He kicked another Zordonian in the chest.

"Ndebele, the console!" Kevin shouted.

Mandla pressed his belt buckle. The Mountain Axe materialized in front of him. He took the axe by the handle. He swung it at a Swabot and smashed it. He kicked the Zordonian soldiers one-by-one to get to the control console. The Zordonian commander drew a crystalline sword. Mandla rushed forward while the Zordonian rushed him. Mandla swung the axe and smashed the sword. Then, he elbowed the Zordonian in the face. The Rangers cheered.

He turned his attention to the console. He lifted the axe and swung downward. The machine was smashed and burst. The others watched as the force field de-materialized. "ZU-LU! ! !" Mandla shouted, for no real reason other than the face he felt like it.

"ZU-LU! ! !" Sean replied.

"Nice, let's get out of—where did they come from?" Kevin was interrupted when a force of Florida National Guardsmen rushed into the warehouse. The Zordonian soldiers, who had been disarmed by Mandla, put their hands up to surrender.

"Take them away," said the captain. The Guardsmen cuffed the Zordonians and took them away. The first Zordonian POWs. The captain then turned to Mandla and saluted him. "Col. Greene told us to follow you. He must have had good reason."

"I guess so," said Mandla. The captain walked away as the Zordonian prisoners were taken away.

Then the Rangers heard their mophers beep. " _Rangers, there's a Zordonian robot attacking downtown_ ," said Col. Greene, " _Get downtown ASAP!_ "

"You got it," said Sean. "Let's go!" The Rangers rushed out, Mandla bringing up the rear. They pulled out their keys. "Ready!" He shouted.

" _Ready!_ " Kevin, Maria and Hitomi shouted.

" _GPX, Start it Up!_ " In a multi-colored flash, they were transformed into the Red, Blue, Yellow and Pink Rangers.

"Indys!" Sean shouted. Five Indy Cars popped up and the Rangers jumped inside. The revved them up and sped downtown.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

The Indys skidded to a stop and the Rangers hopped out. The Zordonian robot (which had been shooting up the place) turned around to see them coming. "How did you escape?" said the robot, which looked like the  _NFL on Fox_ robot.

"You forgot one!" said Sean. "Our Green Ranger!"

"What! ?" The robot shouted. "How—you—What happened?"

"I must have turned off my morpher," said Mandla. "Now let's go!"

"Let's get 'im!" Sean shouted. The Rangers pressed their belt buckles and their weapons materialized in front of them. "Let's go!" The Rangers spread out and surrounded the robot.

Kevin got things started with a couple of shots. Sparks flew and the robot was knocked off balance. Hitomi went next, leaping over the robot. She slashed it with her naginata-like Am Staff. The robot stumbled backwards again. Maria kept the robot on its heels. She thrust her Haz Daggers in the robot's face. It came to Mandla, who took a big chop of the Mountain Axe and embedded it in the robot's back. That left it to Sean. He took a big cut with the GT Sword and knocked the robot on its back.

The robot—known as Gradius—fought back. Its physical size made it tough to actually destroy quickly. It was also strong enough to knock the other Rangers around… except Mandla.

Fighting with renewed confidence, Mandla blocked each attack from Gradius. The Mountain Axe was perfect for this kind of fight. The other Rangers watched in amazement. Sean, however, was not amazed. He was impressed. Mandla fought with intensity. Gradius was surprised by his spirit. And it wasn't long before the others joined in.

"Am Stab!" Hitomi shouted, thrusting the Am Staff at Gradius. Maria came back and stabbed Gradius in the leg. Mandla rushed back in and took a massive swing at Gradius. Gradius drew a sword to defend himself. But Mandla smashed the sword to pieces.

Gradius countered with the big guns. It shot up the Rangers, forcing them to scatter. Sean rushed up and punched Gradius.

"OW, FUCK! ! !" Unfortunately, it hurt. "AH, DAMMIT! ! !"

"HAHAHA!" Gradius laughed. "I'm made of harder stuff than Swabots!"

"Gah, FUCK this hurts!" Sean wailed.

" _Ranger Red, other than the obvious fact your hand hurts_ ," said Col. Greene. " _You have no broken bones in either your hand or arm. Now get back to work!_ "

"How are we going to finish this doff off?" Mandla asked. "We lost the Nitro Cannon."

"Maybe if we used the AcceleKeys," said Maria. She took her key out and found a key slot in the Haz Dagger. "Here we go." She gave the key a turn. The dagger's blade energized.

"Okay, that will work," said Sean. He turned his key and the GT Sword's blade energized, too. The others followed suit. "Alright," he said. "Grand Prix Final Strike! Let's do this!"

Sean rushed forward, the wheels on his boots spinning. "GT Strike!" He slashed Gradius.

"Turbo Shot!" Kevin fired a couple of shots.

"Lightning Throw!"

"Am Stab!"

"Tornado Spin!" Mandla finished it off.

The Rangers posed in victory as Gradius overloaded and exploded. The people of Orlando cheered for the Rangers. Underneath his helmet Mandla had a massive smile on his face.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

 _Why have all of my plans failed?_ Kalderon thought while tapping his head against a wall.  _Blasted Rangers. Now I have to talk to the soldiers' families. This is a nightmare_.

"When you are done hurting your head," said Eltar. "Emperor Rashon wants to speak with you."

"Tell him I will be along," said Kalderon. Eltar turned around and left Kalderon to bang his head on the wall. Frustration hurts.

He was interrupted when a flurry of cherry blossoms appeared. Kalderon did not even try to look. "Leave me alone Tirna," he said.

"Why?" Tirna asked. "You looked so disappointed there? Can I not try to console you?"

"Knowing you it would just make things worse," said Kalderon.

"Oh, that's right," said Tirna.

"I have an audience with the Emperor soon," said Kalderon. "Could you not leave me alone?"

"What is the meaning of this?" Zentor asked when he arrived. "Have you been insulting my apprentice?"

"Tell your apprentice to stay out of others' misery," said Kalderon. Zentor understood Kalderon's frustration and led Tirna away.  _When will my other plan start to wield results?_

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

Mandla had never been greeted like this. He'd never had anyone giving him a massive group hug like this. But, he felt he actually liked it. For once, they were showing love and not disdain. He never really wanted to be a part of this group, but he felt like he could actually fit in now. His old friends would be surprised to see a scene like this.

"Ndebele that was great!" said Kevin. "You were a badarse out there!"

"I didn't think you had it in you," said Maria. "Not bad for a pacifist!"

"Thank you," said Hitomi. "I knew you could do it!"

"Looks like I underestimated you," said Sean. "I guess I can't call you 'newbie' anymore."

"You'd better not," said Mandla. The others laughed.

"Well, I'm not too crazy about calling you Mandla, either," said Sean. "Nothing personal, really."

"I understand," said Mandla. "What are you suggesting?"

"We either call you by a nickname," said Kevin.

"Or we use your nickname," said Maria. "Like Manny."

"Sounds like Manny Ramirez," said Sean. "You got a middle name?"

"Yes, I do," said Mandla. "It's Aaron."

"Aaron it is!" said Sean. Mandla/Aaron shrugged. "Just wait till Rich Boy g—speak of the devil!"

Daisuke, the previous Green Ranger just happened to walk in as the Rangers were giving Mandla/Aaron a noogie. It was a slightly awkward scene as he looked at the scene. "Am I missing anything?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Sean. Mandla—I mean, Aaron—is on his way to replacing you. Daisuke raised his eyebrow in interest.

"Brother, it was amazing!" said Hitomi. "The Zordonians captured us, but Mandla stepped in and said, 'howzit brah' and kicked their butts!"

"Did you get any of that?" Kevin asked Maria. Maria shook her head.

"I think she just said I was fantastic," said Mandla/Aaron.

"Probably," said Sean. "But yeah Rich Boy, this brah just saved our asses. I highly doubt you would have done the same."

"You still do not like me," Daisuke concluded.

"Nope," said Sean.

"Could you not make this about me?" Mandla/Aaron asked.

"I commend you on your rescue of the others," Daisuke said, giving him a light bow. "I wish you luck in your coming mission."

"Thanks," said Mandla/Aaron. "I guess."

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

End chapter


	8. A Hard Day's Night

Power Rangers GPX Episode 24: A Hard Day's Night

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

It was a dark and stormy night.

Stupid rain!

Instead of going out on the town tonight, the Rangers and Bridget's family were stuck in the Rangers' house watching a Central Florida thunderstorm. It's not considered the lightning capital of the world for no reason. After several days without a cloud in the sky, reality came crashing down on them. And boy, did it suck.

"Rain, rain, go away, come again some otha day," Allie sang, trying to lighten the mood. If only it actually worked.

For the others though, it was easy. The sounds of dice hitting a table filled the kitchen and hoots and hollers followed. "GOOOOCH!" Kevin taunted Rob and took a sip of Smithwick's. Mandla/Aaron chuckled and took the dice, rolling a 1, the dice number required to roll again. "One hundred for Zulu," he said, already inebriated. Mandla/Aaron shook his head before rolling again.

"Two hundred!" he hollered. Kevin slammed his head on the table while Sean patted him on the back while holding his Budweiser. Mandla/Aaron rolled again.

"GOOCH!" Kevin hollered while Mandla/Aaron slammed his head on the table. "Mari's turn."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, taking the dice in hand. After a few shakes, she let them loose, and, "STRAIGHT!"

"Oh, 1-5, she gets a thousand!" Sean bellowed, earning some looks from the TV room.

"What are they doing in there?" Hitomi asked Bridget.

"They're playing a dice game," said Bridget. "I never liked that game."

"Because she always loses!" said Sean.

"That's a lie and you know it!" Bridget shot back.

"We always kick Bridge's ass," Sean said quietly. "She stopped playing 6 years ago."

"Because you were a poor sport," said Bridget. Maria had to laugh at the dig.

"Your turn," she said to Sean. "Goooooocccchhhh…"

"You know that's not gonna work… GAH! ! !" Maria doubled over in laughter. "Why are you trying to do that to me? This is totally out of character for you."

"Because it's funny," she said.

"Maria, be nice to him," said Bridget.

"Sean, what does your sister do?" Mandla/Aaron asked out of the blue.

"She's a Cast Member!" He replied. Aaron looked at him blankly. "I take it you haven't been to Disney World."

"She works there?" Aaron asked.

"You never told us that!" Hitomi exclaimed excitedly.

"You never asked!" Sean replied.

"But I would have told you," said Bridget. "I work at the Team Disney building, so I have a good-paying job. If you want, I can get you in for cheap!" Sean scoffed and Hitomi cheered in excitement.

"Sean, did you hear about the Power Rangers?" Rob asked as he took his turn.

"Other than the fact they haven't appeared for two days, no," said Kevin.

"Well Ben Dreck was talking abo—"

"Rob, seriously, you watch that asshole?" Sean interrupted.

"No!" he replied. "One of my co-workers showed a video of him talking about the Power Rangers." Sean gave him a look, but not enough to blow his cover.

"Forget what he says," said Mandla/Aaron. "The Power Rangers are vigilantes; no real contributions to society."

"Exactly, what have the Power Rangers ever done for us?" Sean asked.

"Fought bad guys?" Hitomi asked.

"What?"

"Fought bad guys," she repeated.

"Oh yeah," said Sean.

"Given us peace of mind?" asked Bridget.

"Oh yeah, I feel much safer," said Kevin.

"Okay, I'll give you those two, but what have they really done?" Sean asked, getting agitated.

"And fought crime," said Bridget.

"Of course they've fought crime; that goes without saying!" said Sean. "But apart from fighting bad guys, giving us peace of mind and fighting cr—"

"Keeping us safe?" asked Bridget.

"Stopping an alien invasion?" asked Hitomi.

"Okay," said Sean.

"Peace of mind?" Bridget asked again. Everyone murmured in agreement.

"Yeah, that's a big one," said Mandla/Aaron. Sean made an annoyed face before taking a breath.

"And it's safe to walk the streets at night," said Maria, "Especially considering a city like this!"

"Alright, alright, alright!" said Sean. "But apart from fighting bad guys, peace of mind, crime fighting, the safety, defense, and public safety, what have the Power Rangers ever done for us?"

"Saved us?" asked Hitomi. The sound you just heard was Sean's forehead banging on the table.

"Okay Rob, it's time for us to leave."

"It's only 10:00, are you sure?" Sean asked.

"I'm sure," said Bridget. "But, I was thinking we could go home alone."

"You want to leave the girls with them?" Rob asked.

"Yes," said Bridget. "I think they can handle them, and besides, we haven't had any," she snaked her arms around her husband's neck, " _Private_ _time_  lately." The look on Rob's face showed he wanted it.

"Okay then," he said. "Sean, can you handle all three?"

"I just have to give Allie a bath and put her to bed, right?" he asked. "Piece of cake!"

"We already have some pajamas and shampoo for Allie, diapers for Cassie, and some pajamas for Tommy," said Bridget. "Tommy, do you think you can stay here?"

"Why?" he asked.

"We'll let you stay up late!" said Sean.

"I'll stay!"

"You gotta know what they want," said Sean.

"Looks like they're in good hands," said Rob. "We'll see you tomorrow." She said good-bye to the Rangers, Tommy and Allie before she and Rob left.

"When will they be back?" Maria asked.

"Depends," said Sean. "Depending on how it goes, they might not be back until 3 in the afternoon." Maria only raised her eyebrow. Sean shrugged and turned towards the TV room. "Alright Allie, it's bath—where'd she go?" The sounds of a three-year-old could be heard running down the halls. "I'm in over my head aren't I?"

"Unfortunately," she said with actual sympathy.

"ALLIE, GET BACK HERE! !" He shouted. "Hitomi, could you please take care of Cassie? And Tommy, get dressed and ready for bed. ALLIE, COME HERE!"

It didn't take long for Sean to find Allie, but subduing her was the hard part. If only Bridget had warned him first. He eventually grabbed the girl and carried her literally kicking and screaming. "I'll let you play with your bath toys," he said. To his (happy) surprise, she calmed down and got excited.

"Hooway!" She cried out. Saved by the toys. Thanks to said bath toys, Sean had an easy time giving Allie her bath. Okay, the splashing and general rowdiness he could do without. She must have splashed his red White Sox shirt several times and got soap on it. Okay, so it wasn't as easy as the narrator is making it out to be.

Hitomi had it easy. Cassie's six months old. She just changed the girl's diaper (with the help of a  _very_ reluctant Kevin and a  _very_ disgusted Mandla/Aaron). Just… don't ask.

Tommy? He's 11, he can handle himself. He just got dressed and went back to watching TV.

"Alright, kiddo, time for bed," said Sean.

"BUT I DON'T WANNA!" Allie screamed. Sean sighed in frustration.

"I'll tell you a story!" Sean groaned, trying to calm the girl down.

"Okay!" she chirped. Sean collapsed on her temporary bed in frustration. "Don't laugh, Maria."

"Sorry," she said.

 _I_ _'_ _m_ _bad_ _at_ _this_ , he mouthed. "Alright, what do you want to hear?"

"Pwincess," she said calmly. Sean tweaked his eye ever-so-slightly.

 _Great,_ _Bridge,_ _how_ _much_ _princess_ _stuff_ _did_ _you_ _bring_ _home_? Sean thought to himself. "Alright, you want to hear about a princess," he said. Allie nodded and Maria leaned against the doorframe in interest. "Is there anything else you want to hear about?"

"What ah the Powa Wangas?" she asked. Sean paused. Her face showed a toddler's curiosity but it made Sean and Maria very concerned.

"The Power Rangers are…" he paused. How to explain this to a three-year-old? "They're a bunch of superheroes who are trying to stop bad guys from hurting little girls and little boys like you." Maria raised her eyebrow in an impressed and concerned way. Hitomi, Kevin, and Mandla/Aaron (I'm going to keep doing that until it's made clear) had also gathered in the doorway.

"Who ah the bad guys?" Allie asked.

"FARIES!" he panicked. He glared at the others, who were trying to hold their laughter.

"But… Tinkabell's a faiwie," said Allie.

"So is Perez Hilton," Kevin whispered. It earned a smack upside the head from Maria.

"These are… bad… fairies," said Sean. "Mean ones."

"The ones who—" Maria silenced Mandla/Aaron before he could say anything.

"There  _are_ bad fairies," Kevin whispered to Mandla/Aaron. "Just read some Irish folk tales. You'll see."

"Bad faiwies?" Allie asked.

"Yes," sad Sean. "Bad ones. But don't worry; the Power Rangers are here to save the day!"

"What was that?" Kevin snarked. Sean positioned himself so that Allie couldn't see the one-finger salute he gave him.

"Look, just get to sleep," he said.

"I'M NOT SWEEPY!"

"Come on, please?"

"You not my mommy!"

"I'm your uncle, that's good enough!" he said.

"What about the Powa Wangas!" She whined.

"Okay," he said.  _This_ _is_ _harder_ _than I_ _thought._  "You don't have to worry; the Power Rangers are not going to let the bad fairies get to you."

"Thanks Unca Sean," she said, lying down. Apparently she was tired.

"You sleepy?" He asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "Mommy gives me a kiss before bed."

"Alright," he said before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

" _Aaaawww_ ," Sean glared at the others, making them leave.

"Alright,  _please_ get to sleep," he said as he turned out the light. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Unca Sean!" Her voice was muffled as soon as he closed the door. He sighed and leaned against the wall. That was certainly not the best—

"What are you smiling at, Maria?"

"Real smooth," she said.

"Laugh it up," he replied before he walked away.

"How come you badmouthed us in front of Bridge and you called us heroes in front of her?" she asked as she followed him.

"I'm not going to badmouth us in front of a little kid!" Sean replied as he walked down the stairs.

"This Dreck guy is starting to concern me," said Maria.

"Who cares?" Sean asked. "He's a wackjob, he can't do anything!" He walked back into the kitchen. Tommy, Kevin, Mandla/Aaron and Hitomi were watching a movie. Also, the rain was letting up, ever-so-slightly. The thunder certainly sounded distant. Sean walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out the milk and then a box of Frosted Flakes. "I want a midnight snack," he said to Maria. She shrugged before walking over to the couch.

"Sean, why were you calling the Power Rangers heroes," Tommy started, "When you called them vigilantes?"

"I already said this," he muttered. "I'm not going to say that to a little kid!"

"That's not a good excuse!" said Kevin.

"Well what would you expect me to do?" Sean replied before taking a bite of cereal. "Shay they're bad guysh?"

"Don't talk with your mouth full!" Tommy shouted.

"Guys, stop being mean to Sean," said Hitomi. "He wanted Allie to get to sleep. I think he did the right think."

"Thanks Hitomi!" he said. Maria smiled and chuckled.

They spent most of the evening watching crap on TV; So-bad-it's-good kind of crap, like  _MST3K_. That did not include  _Battlefield_ _Earth._  Part of this involved Maria heckling a video of Senate candidate Marco Rubio. "You're not a fucking exile!" she shouted, prompting Mandla/Aaron to bat her arm down. Sean uncovered Tommy's ears after that.

"Please don't say that in front of the kid," said Sean.

"I've heard  _you_  say worse," Tommy replied.

"Zip it," Sean growled.

"Remember when dad had—"

"What part of 'zip it', don't you understand?" Sean growled.

"I think we should get to bed," said Maria, "Or at least Tommy." Tommy groaned and drew his head back. Sean laughed when Tommy got up from the couch. "It might be a Saturday night, but even Bridge says you need to get your sleep."

"Sorry Tomas," said Sean "Can't help you." He laughed when Tommy stuck his tongue out like the kid he is. Sean shook his head and turned the TV channel to CNN. The topic in question was the Power Rangers themselves. In typical 24-hour news fashion, they had one pundit ("analyst") for the Rangers and one against. The anchor would at least try to moderate the silly debate.

"This is strange," said Maria. "My father would not let this kind of content on his station."

"I thought your dad was station manager, not owner," said Sean.

"He wouldn't allow either way," she replied.

"Well I say we get to bed," said Kevin. "I'm still getting used to this time zone and I need my sleep."

"I'm not sure if that's a good excuse," Sean muttered while Kevin went up to bed. He eventually followed them up to bed.

:-:-:-: **Power** **Rangers** **GPX** :-:-:-:

But, this is Power Rangers. He's not going to get a good night's sleep.

The rain eventually stopped around 12:30 in the morning. About half an hour later, with the streetlights glowing, a platoon of Swabots appeared in the street. With the faint scent of rain still in the air, they snuck through the streets under the command of a… giant humanoid owl. Really original, Zordon! "Alright, listen up!" he said. "We're not here to wreak havoc. We'll do that once the Rangers are up!"

" _NachtOwl,_ _are_ _you_ _in_ _position?_ " Kalderon radioed.

"Ready to go, boss," said NachtOwl. "How's Washington?"

" _Vibrant_ ," said Kalderon. " _Prepare_ _to_ _act._ "

"Na-ha, you got it!" NachtOwl turned off his radio and turned to one of the Swabots. "Knock over a trashcan and let's have some fun!" The Swabot he was talking to nodded and kicked over a trashcan. "Ah, that's not gonna work," said NachtOwl. "It might get us a citation, not the Rangers. Ah, I know!"

He grabbed one of the Swabot's blasters and pointed it at a car parked in the driveway. We all know where this is going. NachtOwl cackled as the car burst into flames.

Meanwhile, Sean was awoken by his morpher's beeping. He reached for the morpher and in his drowsy state, answered. "What?"

" _We_ _have_ _a_ _situation_ ," said the person on the other end.

"Can it was 'till morning?" Sean asked. "I'm tryin' to sleep."

" _This_ _cannot_ _wait_   _until_ _morning,_ " said the guy on the other end. " _We_ _have_ _Zordonian_ _activity_ _in_ _your_ _neighborhood._ "

"That's close," said Sean. "So…"

" _Do_ _something!_ " the operator shouted. Sean growled as he got out of bed. Once out of his room, he noticed the other Rangers coming out of their rooms.

"Why now?" Hitomi asked.

"Let's just get this over with," said Sean. "We'll morph downstairs."

Once downstairs, " _GPX,_ _Start_ _It_ _Up!_ " Once morphed, their boot wheels began to spin and they rushed to the scene.

"Come on, how long does it take for them to arrive?" NachtOwl groaned. "I know it's nighttime, but—"

"Do you have any. Idea. What. Time it is! ?" NachtOwl turned around to see, judging from their posture and body language, five  _very_ irritated Power Rangers. "It's two in the morning! We were trying to sleep!"

"Well sor-ry if we caused any inconvenience!" said NachtOwl.

"You destroyed a car just to smoke us out!" said Kevin. "Of course this is inconvenient!"

"You got three seconds to get out of here!" said Sean.

"Or else what?" NachtOwl replied.

"Or else this!" Sean lunged forward and punched at the nearest Swabot. The fight began in earnest.

Sean quickly blocked a pair of Swabot punches and then launched himself past them. His boots screeched like tires as he stopped. He jump kicked the first Swabot that came near him. Then he jump reverse roundhouse kicked the next one. He ducked as one Swabot rushed at him. He kicked the offending Swabot. As one bot rushed in, he jumped and gently vaulted off the nearest tree. His foot broke the Swabot's head into tiny pieces.

Kevin grappled the first Swabot that came his way and threw it to the ground. He ducked and grabbed the Swabot that tried to punch him. He threw it to the ground and stomped on it. Then he punched one in the gut, sending it into a group of Swabots. He grabbed a Swabot's collar and punched the face until it was pulverized. He picked up the robot's body and threw it at the other Swabots. "Strike!"

If you didn't know how strong Mandla/Aaron really was, you're about to find out. He picked up one Swabot, and just like Kevin, tossed it to the ground. As sparks flew, he revved up the wheels on his gauntlets and batted the nearest Swabot. The wheel began to spin, sending sparks, and soon the robot, flying. With a mighty yell, he charged the Swabots and pushed them like a stack of shopping carts.

Maria tumbled under several Swabots before jumping up and split kicking a couple. She ducked down and sweep kicked more off their feet. The next Swabot came in and swung its sword. Shew blocked it, and just like with Mandla/Aaron, used the wheel on the gauntlet. She front kicked one Swabot; the first was blocked, but the second one wasn't. The robot staggered back and she finished it with a reverse roundhouse kick.

You'd think the Swabots would be used to Hitomi jumping over them, but these things can't exactly jump. She used them like her personal trampoline, jumping on their heads and shoulders, kicking them in the head. When she did land, she flipped over backwards to avoid them. She blocked an attack and then retaliated with a roundhouse kick. She finished off the Swabots with a tornado kick.

Sean was in no mood to talk to NachtOwl. He simply launched himself at the owl monster and knocked it to the ground. After rolling off, NachtOwl got back up and threw a punch, which Sean blocked. Sean counter punched the owl's beak. "I just wanted some sleep, you nocturnal freak!"

"We are here to reclaim what is—"

"SHUT UP! !" He punched NachtOwl right in the beak. "I was trying to sleep!"

"Forget it Sean," said Mandla/Aaron. "He's dead!" He kicked at NachtOwl only to be blocked and flipped over backwards. However, he was nimble enough to land on his own two feet. Hitomi used his shoulders like a vault and leapt to punch NachtOwl just off its beak.

"Let's just make this quick," Sean said as Maria kicked NachtOwl right in the back of the head. He pulled out his blaster and let off a couple of rounds. Sparks erupted from NachtOwl and he fell near a fire hydrant.

By now, an unwanted audience had formed because of the noise being made at 2 in the morning. People in their robes and disheveled hair stood outside their houses yelling at the scene outside. "Damn it!" Sean growled. "Can we get this over with?"

"I'm on it," said Mandla/Aaron. He jumped and kicked at NachtOwl's face. NachtOwl landed just two feet from a garbage can. NachtOwl got up but Kevin threw a punch at him. NachtOwl retaliated with a nasty backhand that sent Kevin flying into someone's garage.

The Blue Ranger groaned as he tried to sit up. NachtOwl hit hard! But the sound of cracking told him something else was wrong. "Oh, feck," he said as he realized he'd destroyed a Mercedes. "Aw, feck," he said as he gingerly got off the car.

Things got worse. The owner happened to open his garage door. He took one look at the car and said, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm terribly sorry!" Kevin said, trying to be diplomatic. "I didn't mean to—"

"Do you have any idea how much that cost?" The middle-aged, slightly overweight and balding man shouted. "You'd better pay for that!"

"Don't worry!" Kevin replied in his Dublin brogue. "You will be compensay-ted!"

"I'd better be!" said the man. "I've never had an accident before!"

"It could happen to a bishop and frequently does," Kevin replied.

"What does that even mean?" the man replied. "What are you going to do?" He'd gotten up in Kevin's face, making the Dub very nervous. He looked to see the others fighting NachtOwl.

"Give me your insurance," said Kevin. "You'll be compensated in the morning."

"I'd better," said the man as he wrote down his insurance. "Take it! I hope you've got a good lawyer, beca—"

"I don't need a lawyer," he said as he left through the very hole he made.

"AND YOU'D BETTER PAY FOR MY FUCKING GARAGE! !" the man shouted as Kevin retuned to the fight scene.

"Why didn't you try to help?" Kevin asked as he got back.

"Sorry!" said Sean. "I wanted to, but I'm a little busy!" Kevin growled and put it on the backburner before going back to fighting.

"Will you PLEASE be QUIET! ?" a woman shouted as Maria punched NachtOwl right in the beak.

"I'm terribly sorry!" said Maria. "We're trying!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" the woman replied. "If this doesn't stop, I'm calling the police!" the other residents voiced their agreements and also threatened to call the OPD.

Sean growled in anger. It was at this point NachtOwl remembered he could  _fly_. " _Now_ let's see what you can do, Rangers!" he said as he ascended.

"GAH! MotherFUCKER! ! DAMMIT!" Sean growled. He had his hands on his head and was letting loose with the obscenities. The impromptu crowd told him to keep it quiet. "Gah, forget it," he said. "Ke—I mean, Blue, Pink, shoot 'im down."

"Gladly," Kevin said as he pressed his belt buckle. The Touring Rifle manifested in front of him.

"Okay," Hitomi said as she did the same and the Am Bow manifested. The two aimed their weapons at NachtOwl before letting off a round. A shower of sparks sent NachtOwl tumbling to the ground.

"All right, I've had enough of this," said Sean. "What can we—Supercharged? That looks interesting." He took out his AcceleKey, jammed it into his Octane Blaster and turned it.

 _Supercharged_ _Mode_ _Ready_ , his HUD read.

" _Now_ we're talking," he said. "Alright, Supercharge! Ready!" The other Rangers did the same and aimed their weapons at NachtOwl. "FIRE! !" He, Mandla/Aaron and Maria let of a couple rounds with their Octane Blasters. Kevin and Hitomi followed them up with shots from the Touring Cannon and the Am Bow.

NachtOwl howled before falling to the ground and exploding.

The Rangers did not celebrate. Instead, they left the scene just moments before the Orlando Police showed up.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

The next morning, after the Rangers got back as quietly as possible, they were greeted by this story in the local news:

" _One_ _neighborhood_ _got_ _a_ _rude_ _awakening_ _…_ _from_ _the_ _Power_ _Rangers!_ "

"Oh, great," Sean said after taking a swig of coffee.

"This is not going to help," said Mandla/Aaron.

"What was that about?" asked Tommy.

"It's not going to help the Power Rangers," said Sean.

"Did that guy with the smashed car get compensated?" asked Kevin.

"Probably," said Sean. But he was more worried about the coming public backlash against the Rangers, and maybe the cops. "We'll have to form a relationship with the cops," he whispered to Kevin. "If we don't, we'll be in even more trou—"

" _However,_ _this_ _man,_ _who_ _had_ _his_ _car_ _smashed_ _by_ _the_ _Blue_ _Ranger,_ _was_ _surprised_ _this_ _morning_."

" _This_ _guy_ _calling_ _himself_ _'_ _Agent_ _Smith_ _'_ _arrived_ _with_ _a_ _new_ _Mercedes,_ " said the man. " _And_ _he_ _gave_ _me_ _a_ _check_ _to_ _pay_ _for_ _my_ _garage_ _door._ _"_

"I'm glad that worked out for him," said Kevin.

"Right," said Sean. "Media still concerns me."

:-:-:-: **Power** **Rangers** **GPX** :-:-:-:

Postman Harold Gray swerved to avoid the robots that had swarmed the road. The hail of blaster fire made it impossible for him to get anywhere and his postal truck crashed on a curb. Luckily, the veteran post office employee was unhurt. But the robots were now swarming his truck and taking things from the back. "Hey! That's post office proper—who are you?"

" _Prism_ _FLASH!_ " The Swabots looked to see an absent, but familiar face.

"Choushinsei!"

" _FLASHMAN!_ "

The Swabots attacked. However, they were no match for the Earth-born alien Power Rangers. Postman Gray watched as the Flash Rangers wiped the pavement with the Swabots. "Get out of here!" said the Yellow Ranger. Harold should not have listened, but he did anyway.

It didn't take long before the Flash Rangers were done with the Swabots. They lay in a sparking mess, barely even recognizable. " _Power_ _down_!" they said.

The dirty-blond haired Red Ranger looked around at the Swabots. "Pathetic," he said. "I thought Zordon would send their best Swabots."

"They must be focusing on those GPX Rangers," said the dark-haired Blue Ranger. "Jon, what are we going to do about the mail?"

"Let the post office handle it Bon," said Jon, the Red Ranger. "Sara, what do you have there?"

"A package of some sort," said the South Asian Yellow Ranger. "But the box is gone."

"The Swabots must have been after it," said the Hispanic-looking Pink Ranger.

"I suggest we keep it," said Jon.

"Lu, what should we do?" asked Sara.

"Just deliver it to someone," said Lu, the Pink Ranger. "Kai, can you hold this?" The Green Ranger took the package.

"Let's leave it somewhere," said Jon.

It wasn't long before the Flash Rangers were in a residential neighborhood. "Just find a house," said Jon. Kai found a house that looked suitable. He left the package on the doorstep of the house.

"Come," said Jon. "The Swabots will be looking for us." With that, they left the area.

A few minutes later, a pair of hands picked up the package the Flash Rangers had left behind. "What's this?" The person asked. "A briefcase?"

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:


	9. Gargotron's Return

Power Rangers GPX, episode 25: Gargotron's Return

* * *

 

Col. Greene finished his paperwork and wiped his brow. The office was quiet. It was late in the day and the Pentagon was quiet, at least in the vicinity of his office. The white-colored walls presented a bland aesthetic that would drive even a military man crazy. Luckily, Col. Greene didn't think he was going to be in this office much longer.

He checked his watch, noting the 5 o'clock time. He sighed. He didn't think he could make it back home in time for dinner. He contemplated retirement on multiple occasions, but as they say, "duty calls".

With the swipe of a pen, he signed off on another Project Ranger report. The UN's Security Council and the DOD wanted updates. Well, they were getting them. Col. Greene didn't mind writing them. You have to do a job, after all. And this was certainly part of the job. "I just wish it didn't hurt as much," he muttered to himself.

It was then a staffer walked in, holding a plastic bag from the Pentagon's food court. "I thought you were hungry," he said.

"June's not going to like this," said Col. Greene.

"She's going to understand your job, right?" the staffer replied, handing Col. Greene a taco.

"A taco from a fake Mexican place," he said. "Delicious."

"It's the only thing I could get," said the staffer. "So what's this about?"

"Security Council and the DOD want to know Project Ranger's progress," said Col. Greene. "All I could say was, 'it's hard to tell'. They're down in Florida, and they rarely update me! How am I supposed to know?"

"Japan was so much easier," said the staffer. "Any other plans?"

"We sent them some new equipment," said Col. Greene. "But they haven't told me about it."

"You know how bad American Parcel Service is," said the staffer.

"I sent it through the post office," said Col. Greene. "I'll have to call them and find out what's going on."

"The worst part is that Ben Dreck fellow," said the staffer. "One of my friends says one of his friends is worried about the Rangers."

"That's not good," said Col. Greene. "It will only be a matter of time before Congress calls us up. I hate television."

"Dreck isn't  _that_ influential," said the staffer.

"Maybe I'm just paranoid," said Col. Greene. "But Republicans have been going all fiscal-libertarian lately. I feel we're going to hear about how we're costing taxpayers."

"There  _is_ a solution," said the staffer.

"Not yet," said Col. Greene, "Unless we're in  _real_ trouble." He really should have kept his mouth shut, since another staffer came in. "What is it?"

"Sir, Senator Evergreen has requested you testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee and we lost track of the Rangers' package."

"Me and my big mouth," said Col. Greene. "Find out what happened to that package and tell Senator Klein I'll show up."

"Yes, sir," said the staffer. He walked away and Col. Greene sighed in exasperation.

:-:-:-: **We** **'** **re** **the** **best** **chance,** **for** **humanity,** **Power** **Rangers** **G-P-X,** **let** **'** **s** **go!** :-:-:-:

"Come ON!" said Aaron (Mandla). "Pick a damn card!"

"I'm thinking!" Hitomi said, looking over the upside-down chore cards. "I don't want to pick something I'll regret."

"She's got a point," said Kevin. "I had to do Cassie's diapers, after all."

"I had to do the dishes after you let the food cake," said Aaron (Mandla). "You think doing her diaper's bad?"

Maria had to watch with interest. Taking a bite out of an orange slice, she watched as Hitomi thought of which card would be best. No—not that one. She chuckled to herself. This should be very interesting. Hitomi's hand floated over them, until—nope! Aaron (Mandla) groaned and Kevin chuckled. Maria also chuckled.

Eventually, Hitomi found one in the middle of this particular pile and slowly, tensely, pulled it out. She didn't look for a second, then she looked and… uh-oh, nervous face! "Dishes!" Aaron (Mandla) and Kevin burst into laughter while Maria shook her head. Hitomi slammed her head on the table.

"Now you have to deal with them!" said Aaron (Mandla).

"Zulu, be nice!" Maria said, hitting him on the arm. "I'll help you out,  _chica_. "

"Thanks, Maria!" said Hitomi.

"You don't have to be so anxious about every—hey, where are you going?" Hitomi had gotten up and left much to Maria's surprise. The Venezuelan woman got up and followed her friend while Aaron (Mandla) and Kevin just wtched. " _Chica_ , what's going on?" She asked as she caught up to the Japanese girl in the foyer.

"Why did you have to say that?" Hitomi asked, her accent getting just a  _tiny_ bit thicker. Although it was justified since she was getting a little choked up.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Maria moaned. "I forgot you don't like to talk about your anxieties. But you should talk about them!"

"Why?" Hitomi asked.

"If you don't talk about them with everyone, they'll just get worse," Maria replied. "I have anxieties myself and I talk about them."

"Like what?"

"Well… my friends in Venezuela," said Maria. "I'm very worried about them."

"I can understand," said Hitomi. "I wonder how my friends are doing."

"But we have the others," said Maria. "And you have me. You can tell me anything." Hitomi smiled and nodded. Then, she opened her mouth.

"Sometimes, I wonder if I'm even important here," she said forlornly. She and Maria had sat down on the stairs. "What if you just see me as a kid? What if I'm just a liability?"

"I have no idea who said that or why you're worried about that," said Maria. "But I certainly don't see you as a liability. You're my best friend. And I'll bet the others feel that way, too. You are a nice, sweet  _chica_ who is an important member of this team. And I think Bridge would agree that you did a great job with Cassie. You do, however, have a side none of us like to see."

"When we met…" Hitomi whispered.

"Exactly," said Maria. "But that's something you can control. And it also shows you're not perfect; no one is. But you are a great fighter and an important member of the team. Whatever anxieties you have going on are just in your head."

"Thanks, Maria," said Hitomi.

"And if anyone says anything else, I'll kick their face in."

"That wasn't necessary," said Hitomi.

"I just felt like it," said Maria. "Come on, we've got work to do."

Hitomi nodded and followed Maria into the kitchen where Kevin and Aaron (Mandla) were watching the news, this time with concern. Maria looked to see Col. Greene raising his right hand before a bunch of old men in suits. Being naïve when it comes to American politics, she and the others had no idea what in the world was going on. But one thing was certain; it didn't look good.

Col. Greene was being grilled by these men. They were asking him about Project Ranger and how much it was costing the taxpayers. Col. Greene was answering as best he could, but one man, named Evergreen, was not letting up on him. He looked stressed out and helpless.

But that's nothing compared to the helplessness the Rangers felt. All they could do was watch as the man who helped turn them from simple, ordinary young adults into the world's greatest superhero team getting verbally assaulted by old men who had no idea what this Project was about.

" _Bastardos_ ," said Maria. "What is this about?"

"It says, 'Project Ranger Senate hearing'," said Kevin. "What does that even mean?"

"If only Rob or Sean were here," said Maria. "They could—"

"Congress doesn't like what he's doing," a familiar voice interrupted. And it wasn't Sean.

"How did you show up here, Tommy?" Maria asked the hologram of Dr. Tommy Oliver.

"I activated the Morphing Grid's hologram generator from my universe," said Tommy. "Something must be going on in your universe that Congress doesn't like; Must be because of fiscal issues."

"So what should we do?" Hitomi asked.

"Ignore them," said Tommy. "You've got work to do. You can't let this distract you." The other Rangers didn't need to disagree. "I can't tell you what's going to happen next."

"Because it would ruin our mission?" Aaron (Mandla) asked.

"No, because even I don't know," said Tommy. "I'll keep in touch." His hologram faded, leaving the Rangers alone.

"I don't like this," said Kevin.

"What don't you like?" Maria asked. "Col. Greene in front of Congress or…"

"Yes," said Kevin. Maria did not even ask.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

"I must commend you, Kalderon," said Rashon. "Your plan is working so far."

"I told you it would," Kalderon said with a light bow. "And now that Gargotron is repaired, we can attack the Rangers again."

"Excellent work!" said Rashon. "I might as well propose a toast." He raised his wine glass and Kalderon raised his. "To reclamation," he said.

"To reclamation," said Kalderon. The two took a sip of their wine. But the moment was short lived.

"Don't be too sure," a feminine voice said from behind. Kalderon turned around and glared at Tirna.

"Why?" he asked.

"Tirna, this is a private conversation," said Emperor Rashon. "Please dismiss yourself."

"As you wish," Tirna said as the general disappeared in a flurry of cherry petals. Kalderon glared at the empty space left by the feminine general.

"I do not like Tirna," he said. "I feel the general may be the end of me one day."

:-:-:-: **Power** **Rangers** **GPX** :-:-:-:

Kevin, Aaron (Mandla), Maria and Hitomi had decided to get out of the house and left for downtown Orlando. They took the bus into downtown and got off near Market Street and the library and went from there.

They really had no place to go, but when you go downtown in any city, that's part of the fun. They don't need a place to go. Instead, they just walked around, looking at the sites with interest. They noticed the construction site of the new basketball arena and a few other things.

Most of it was going up and down North Orange Avenue looking at the shops. Hitomi liked them because they were quaint little stores, unlike the massive Miyazawa department stores. While Kevin was getting tired of the heat and humidity, Maria told him to deal with it.

"I've been to the Amazon, and I'm from a humid area," he said. "I'm used to this, so deal with it!"

"Show-off," said Kevin.

"Is that anything to be proud off?" Aaron (Mandla) asked.

"Of course," said Maria. "But if you're hot, then we can stop and get something to eat."

"There's a sandwich place here," said Kevin. "Let's eat here."

"Fine," said Maria. " _¡Hola!_ " Just for the hell of it.

" _Hola_ ," said the man behind the counter, much to Maria's delight.

" _¿Habla_ _usted_ _espa_ _ñ_ _ol?_ " she asked, automatically excluding the others from the conversation. " _Soy_ _de_ _Venezuela, _¿__ _de_ _donde_ _es_ _usted?_ "

" _Soy_ _de_ _Mexico_ ," said the man.

" _Que_ _te_ _jodan,_ _"_ _she_ _said._

"What did you just say?" Kevin asked.

"She told me to fuck off,  _se_ _ñor_ ," said the man behind the counter.

"You… speak English…"

"Fluently,  _se_ _ñorita_ ," the man finished. Maria didn't need prompting and left. Everyone except Hitomi left.

"I'd like a chicken teriyaki on flatbread," she said.

"That was embarrassing," Maria gasped.

"Obviously," said Aaron (Mandla). "Now we know she can't get away with anything."

"Where's Hitomi?" Maria asked.

"I thought I saw her in the sub shop," said Kevin."Maybe she stayed there… Oh, here she werey ou?"

"I ordered a sandwich!" she said. "I wanted chicken teriyaki flat bread!"

"Please tell us if you're going to stay behind," said Aaron (Mandla).

" _Gomen_ _nasai_ ," she said just to piss him off. It worked.

"Next time I'll tell people about your outburst in—" Maria elbowed him in the rib. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Hitomi thinks she's a load," said Maria. Hitomi glared at Maria, but it didn't matter to her. "You're not!"

"What are you talking about?" Kevin asked.

"Didn't I tell you?" Maria asked as if it was obvious. "Hitomi's had anxieties and confidence issues since after the fight with the Zordonians."

"She does?" Kevin asked. "I don't remember talking about that."

"I didn't—"

" _Chica,_ what did I say?" Maria interrupted. "You can't expect to get better if you don—hold on; I'm getting a call on the morpher. Hello?"

" _Maria,_ _hel_ —"

"What was that about?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know," said Maria. "I think—"

_CRASH!_ _!_ _!_

Dust and debris flew as the quartet dodged whatever crashed into the side of the building. Bystanders were running away and the sound of sirens was heard. The dazed quartet got up and looked to see red boots sticking out of the side of the building.

"Sean?" Kevin asked while Sean, in morphed form, struggled to get out. Then he froze.

"Get out of here!" he said.

"What?" Maria asked. "No way, we're not—" Sean pointed at something and the quartet only had enough time to just barely dodge the incoming missile. "Okay, now I see what you mean!"

"HELLO, RRRANGERS!" A familiar voice bellowed.

"It's Gargotron, isn't it?" Aaron (Mandla) asked.

"Bingo," Sean said as the others pulled him out of the damaged building.

"I was looking forward to meeting you again," he said.

"I kind of wasn't," said Maria.

"Too bad," said Sean.

"Now, let's get down to business," Gargotron said as he aimed his arm missiles at the Rangers. Sean grabbed his Octane Blaster and let off some covering fire, allowing the quartet to get to a safe spot. Now, there was only one thing left to do.

"Ready?" Kevin asked as they displayed their morphers.

" _Ready! GPX, Start It Up!_ "

After the characteristic flash of light, the quartet emerged from the alley and quickly backed Sean up. "Are you ready?" Gargotron taunted.

"As ready as we'll ever be," Kevin said as he summoned the Touring Rifle.

"Then here I COME!" Gargotron charged the Rangers, but they jumped out of the way and ran into the street. The area had already been cordoned off by the Orlando Police. Sean and Kevin let off a couple of rounds at Gargotron. The big robot charged them again. Kevin discarded the Touring Rifle and bent down.

Gargotron crashed into Kevin. The Blue Ranger held his ground, his boots screeching. Gargotron threw his arms off and batted him away. Aaron (Mandla) kicked Gargotron. Gargotron blocked and punched back. Aaron ducked and gave him an upper cut.

The Rangers had Gargotron surrounded. Remembering the last fight, Maria grabbed her daggers. She stabbed at Gargotron. But Gargotron batted her hand away. She stabbed him again. But he shoved her backwards.

The robot knocked Aaron to the ground just as Hitomi leaped up. She kicked at Gargotron's head. But he ducked and she landed awkwardly. Sean and Kevin swung their GT Sword and Grand Prix Swords at Gargotron. Gargotron parried both strikes.

Sean unleashed a fury of aggressive strikes at Gargotron. It was hard to see just what was going on. But Gargotron was blocking and parrying every one of them. "I know all of your tricks!" he said. "You can't fool me!"

"I knew that!" said Aaron.

Maria tried to stab Gargotron in the back, but the robot spun his torso around and knocked her into one of the buildings. Gargotron advanced on her, but Aaron got in the way, punching the robot right in the chest. "Are you stupid?" Gargotron asked.

"It was worth the try," Aaron said before getting swatted into the street.

Hitomi pressed on her belt buckle and her Am Staff appeared. "What is this?" Gargotron asked.

"My name is Hitomi Miyazawa, descendent of one of the greatest Samurai of the Japanese feudal era," she said. "I am the Pink Ranger. I am your opponent and I will defeat you!"

"What is she doing?" Sean asked.

"She thinks she's a load," said Maria.

"Hitomi, stop!" said Sean.

But she didn't listen. Instead, she charged Gargotron, shouting at the top of her lungs. She jumped, prepared to swing, and—

… Was knocked to the side.

" _Chica_!" Maria shouted as she ran over to Hitomi. The guys regrouped and went back to fighting Gargotron. "Hitomi, Hitomi!" She shook the Pink Ranger as frantically as she could. The guys ran over and gathered around Hitomi just as she was waking up.

"What's going on?" she asked. She couldn't see her face, but Maria was nearly crying. She wrapped the Pink Ranger in a tight hug. Hitomi couldn't help but feel a warm feeling in her chest.

"Hitomi, you're not a load," said Sean. "You're a valued member of the team, we can't fight without you, and you're the nicest one here. I wish I could go on longer and make this more heart-felt, but we have bigger things to worry about."

"How touching!" said Gargotron. "But I'm done playing games. Time to—Huh?"

Orlando's Finest had begun to put up a fight, letting of some rounds of pistol and shotgun fire. But it didn't matter. Gargotron held up his arm and fired a missile that blew up several squad cars.

"Ow," said Hitomi.

" _Chica_ , what hurts?" Maria asked while the guys let off some blaster fire.

"Everything," she groaned.

"Does anything feel broken?" Maria asked.

"My HUD says nothing's broken," she said. Maria sighed in relief.

" _Please_ don't be an idiot like that," said Maria.

"But I want to be strong—"

"Do we have to go over this?" Maria asked. "You have a fighting style, stick to it! Or, try to get better during off-time."

"I'll try that," said Hitomi.

"Hitomi, stand up, we've got trouble!" Sean said as Gargotron rushed the Rangers. "SCATTER! !"

They scattered just in time. The big robot missed them and they regrouped around Hitomi. But Sean wasn't happy about it. "I really don't like this. Now she is becoming a load!" He said.

"I'm sorry," she said as she struggled to stand. I just wanted to prove myself."

"You've proven yourself before," said Sean. "I just hope those confi—AW, FUCK!" Gargotron had fired a missile at them again. The resulting explosion sent them flying in multiple directions. The Orlando Police could only watch helplessly as the Rangers landed in the street.

Hitomi struggled to stand, feeling some excruciating physical pain. Her HUD said she didn't have any major injuries. But that didn't stop the pain. She watched as Gargotron walked around, looking for her fri—is that a boot?

"Gargotron!" said the person in front of Sean. "It's time for you to die!"

"Flashman? Damn!" said Gargotron.

"Choushinsei!"

" _FLASHMAN!"_

"I did not expect them," said Sean.

"It looks like you need help," said the Red Ranger.

"It'd be better if it wasn't you," said Sean.

"Too bad," said the Red Ranger. "My name is Jon."

"Name's Sean," He stood up, holding his shoulder. "What do you plan to do?"

"Attack," said Jon. "Prism Sword! Fire Thunder!" He leapt and attacked Gargotron, his attack actually hitting.

"Bastard," Sean said as he grabbed his sword.

The Flash Rangers had summoned their weapons and surrounded Gargotron. They had at him, quickly gaining an upper hand. It was the Pink Ranger who actually impressed the GPX Rangers. It was that jumping she did. The craziness of the attacks is what really got them.

"What are we standing around for?" asked Kevin.

"GET 'IM! !" Sean shouted.

Now the GPX Rangers rejoined the fight, much to the Flash Rangers' displeasure. But now, working as a team, they actually started to gain the upper hand. Sean and Jon combined their swordsmanship, Sean with his aggressive style and Jon's skillful. Sean attacked Gargotron, keeping the robot on its feet. Jon thrust like a champion fencer.

Kevin and Bon (Flash Blue) took on Gargotron without their weapons. Kevin tackled Gargotron as Bon flew in, kicking Gargotron in the head. The two actually complemented each other, despite having different fighting styles. But strength and agility can work together and it worked her.

On the other hand, Aaron and Kai (Flash Green) had the same, brutal fighting style. Their sheer brute strength was a lot for Gargotron. While Kai used his prism boxing gloves, Aaron did not. Gargotron threw a hard punch at Aaron. Aaron ducked. Kai retaliated and punched. They stepped back for Maria and Sara.

But the good will (if you could call it that) between GPX and Flash didn't work with Sara and Maria… from Sara's side. Maria was thrusting her daggers at Gargotron. He blocked and dodged the attacks. Sara punched Gargotron and then shoved Maria out of the way. Maria kicked Gargotron in the backside.

On the other hand, Hitomi and Lu were getting along great. Lu's crystal boots provided the damage, while Hitomi spun the Am Staff around and thrust it at Gargotron. Lu jumped in the air and tried to land on Gargotron. Hitomi bound out of the way. Then she thrust the blade at Gargotron. It was blocked, but Lu's boots finished the job.

Gargotron staggered backwards while both Ranger teams regrouped. The two teams wondered what was going to happen next.

"You little bastards," he said. "But you got lucky. I know how you fight now!"

"SHUT UP!" said Sean. "You're outnumbered ten to one! Let's see you beat us now!"

"We cannot be defeated!" said Jon. "We will defeat you and we will send your Zordonian scum back to Zordon!"

"A touching story!" said Gargotron. "But it's not good enough!" He pulled up his arms and opened up several panels in his body.

"Oh crap!" said Sean. "SCAT—"

 _Ka-BOOM! !_  Gargotron fired his missiles before they could do anything. The resulting explosion sent the two Ranger teams flying. Orlando's Finest and citizens could only watch helplessly as the two teams flew through the air, their screams providing a chilling soundtrack

They landed  _hard._

The sound of their pained groaning and Gargotron's laughter filled the air. The bystanders only watched in shock. They couldn't do anything about it; that helplessness is the worst feeling one can feel.

Hitomi almost felt her spine shatter. Although her suit was telling her there were no major or life-threatening injuries, it felt like every bone in her body was broken. Across from her, Flash Blue was also writhing in pain. " _Oi,_ " she said weakly. "Get up!"

"I can't," he said. "So much pain…"

Underneath his helmet, Sean's face was contorted in pain. Just like the others, his helmet was saying he had no major injuries. It was probably about as bad as when Pheados beat the crap out of him; but this time, he wasn't going into some major mental-

"Hold it right there!" All ten Rangers turned to see someone step into the intersection of North Orange and Central Blvd. He was wearing a brown trenchcoat and his face was covered with two white bandanas and a pair of sunglasses.

"Who is he?" asked Jon.

"Never seen 'im before," said Sean.

"Who are you?" Gargotron asked.

"I'm here to beat you!" said the figure.

"Ugh!" said Sean. "Where'd he learn to say that, some dumb comic? HEY! Get out of here, now!"

"You'd better listen to him!" said Gargotron. "I won't be merciful!"

"We shall see," said the figure. Then, he reached into his jacket and pulled something out. It was a phone-like device and one Sean and the GPX Rangers recognized. "GPX, Start It Up!" All eleven watched in shock as a silver light engulfed him.

He was dressed in a silver suit much like the GPX Rangers', albeit with differences. His torso was solid silver with black road stripes going down the arms. His pants were black and instead of the black armbands the GPX Rangers had, he had gold arm and boot bands with a gold belt. The gloves were white and the boots were silver. His chest symbol was a "6" over the typical tire. The other difference were the black shoulder pads.

"What. The. Fuck." Sean said, unable to find anything to say.

"Who are you? !" Gargotron shouted.

"I'm the new Ranger, GPX Silver, Ai-YAAAHHH!"

Back at the Pentagon, the staffers scrambled at the appearance of this new Ranger. "Where did he come from?" asked Captain Granger, Col. Greene's second-in-command. "What about the Silver Morpher?"

"We don't have a lock on him!" said one of the control members.

"What! ?"

"We can't get a lock on the tracking device! We can't even get a DNA sample!"

"Oh my god," Capt. Granger said, coming to the obvious realization. "You sent them an incomplete morpher? And you  _lost it_? Col. Greene's going to have my head!"

" _Captain, do we have anything on this guy?_ " Sean's voice came through the intercom.

"No, we don't!" said Capt. Granger.

" _WHAT! ?_ "

"We sent you an incomplete Silver morpher! We can't get anything on him!"

" _And you're telling this to us NOW! ?_ " Sean screamed. " _You didn't even tell us you were sending a new morpher!_ "

"A new Ranger?" said Kalderon. "Do we have any information on him?" The Swabot shook its head. Kalderon could feel Rashon's eyes glaring at him. Only they weren't; they were staring at the screen in utter shock.

"Bring it!" said Gargotron.

"You got it!" said the Silver Ranger. He pulled out his weapon, a short sword-gun hybrid. "Silver Blaster!" he said as he took a couple of shots at Gargotron. Sparks erupted from the robot. Gargotron opened up his arm missile panel. He fired a shot. The Silver Ranger jumped and dodged. But it exploded near Kevin.

"Watch it!" he shouted.

"Sorry!" the Silver Ranger said as he converted the blaster to a sword. He jumped, tumbling over and engaged Gargotron.

Gargotron threw the first punch. Silver dodged. He swung the Silver Sword. Gargotron blocked it. He tumbled out of the way and slashed at the legs. Gargotron howled. Silver got back up. He slashed at Gargotron again. Gargotron spun around, blocking his strike. He knocked the Ranger's sword out of his hands.

But the Silver Ranger punched him. Gargotron blocked. Then, Silver spun around and tried a reverse roundhouse kick. His form was sloppy, though, and it was easy for the other Rangers to see. Silver punched Gargotron twice. Gargotron blocked. Gargotron countered with a right hook. Silver ducked and tried to sweep kick him. Again, sloppy technique.

"He can't be a Project Ranger member," said Sean. "He's too sloppy."

"But he's got good fundamentals," said Kevin. "You have to give him that.

"I think we should be worrying about something else," said Maria.

Silver grabbed his sword again. Then, he backhanded the Zordonian robot. Gargotron blocked. Silver roundhouse kicked; it was a good kick, well-executed. Gargotron staggered backwards and Silver unleashed a barrage of punches. Gargotron tried to block all of them, but he couldn't

He opened up the panel on his arm and fired a missile. Silver jumped and dodged it just in time. "Time to finish this!" he said. "Electro Strike!" The Silver Sword began to charge up with electricity. Silver swung the sword, striking Gargotron. The electric attack fried many of Gargotron's circuits and he was teleported away.

"That was fast," said Hitomi. But the sound of a roar said something else.

"We're not out of the woods yet," said Sean. He got up and called the Pentagon. "We need the Grand Prix Zords NOW!"

" _On their way_ ," said Capt. Granger.

"We'd love to stay and chat," said Sean. "But we've got a Godzilla look-a-like to care of." A Kel Monster, which looked like the aforementioned  _kaiju_ but with a horn and hair, stood over downtown Orlando. "LET'S GO!" He and the GPX Rangers jumped into their zords.

"GT Racer!" He said.

"Touring Racer!" said Kevin.

"Mountain Hauler!" said Aaron.

"Haz Runner!" said Maria.

"Am Chaser!" said Hitomi.

Sean pulled out his AcceleKey. "Ready?"

" _Ready!_ " They jammed the keys into the dashboard, turning them and lighting them up.

"Grand Prix Megazord sequence, engage!" Rockets fired some wires and kept the Kel monster restrained in the wooded area at I-4.

The Touring Racer split up and joined with the Mountain Hauler, forming arms. The front of the Mountain Hauler opened up, allowing it to combine with the Haz Runner and Am Chaser. Then, the tailgate of the Mountain Hauler opened and the GT Racer rolled up onto the truck bed to join with the Hauler. Rockets fired and the whole thing stood up. The head was unveiled with its black visor and mouth less mouth plate.

" _Grand Prix Megazord, online!_ " they said.

The Megazord made a 'bring it' gesture to the Godzilla rip-off. It charged the megazord and it countered with a right straight. The Megazord kicked the monster and it staggered backwards.

It was then the Flash King joined the fray. It socked the Kel monster right in the jaw. It retaliated, but Flash King blocked it. The Grand Prix Megazord shoved Flash King to the side and knocked the Kel monster down. So much for teamwork.

"Time to finish this!" said Sean, not wanting to keep things going. "Grand Prix Megazord Saber!" The sword materialized in its hands. The Flash King also produced its own sword. "Turbo jets!"

" _Super Cosmo Flash!_ " The Flash Rangers shouted as the Flash King jumped, spun and struck the Kel monster. Then, the Grand Prix Megazord launched itself at the Kel monster and delivered the killing blow. The monster erupted into sparks and fell to the ground in a massive explosion.

:-:-:-: **Power Rangers GPX** :-:-:-:

"Who the hell was that?" Sean asked as the Rangers got back to their house. "Was it Rich Boy?"

"That was not Daisuke," said Hitomi. "He does not talk like that and he is not a sloppy fighter."

" _Chica's_  right," said Maria. "If it was him, he would have been beaten, too."

"Good point," said Kevin. "But how did he get his hands on that morpher?"

"Captain Granger said they sent us a new, incomplete morpher," said Sean. "First time I heard of it."

"I'm just glad we beat the Kel monster and survived," said Aaron.

"But that Silver guy is going to be trouble," said Sean. "By the way, Hitomi, are you okay?"

"I am okay," she said.

" _Please_ don't worry us like that again," he said. "If you think you're a load, you should try and make yourself better. Or stop thinking you're one."

"You're bad at heartfelt speeches, aren't you?" asked Maria.

"This Silver guy has got my attention," said Sean. "We need to find out who he is."

"One thing's for sure, he's not a Project Ranger candidate," said Kevin. "But there's more like him than us."

"And that makes things harder," said Sean.

:-:-:-: **PRGPX** :-:-:-:

"I GET BACK FROM CONGRESS TO LEARN YOU SENT THEM AN INCOMPLETE MORPHER AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN TELL THEM! ?" the sound of Col. Greene's angry voice came from behind one of the doors. A sergeant stood outside, feeling sorry for the people inside being blasted by their commanding officer. "WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH YOU! ?"

"What's wrong with him?" another voice asked right next to him.

"Some members of Pro—I'm sorry, I can't say anything to non-personnel," he said.

"Don't worry," said the figure. "I'm here to see Col. Greene."

"GET OUT! ! !" the officers and NCOs rushed out and the figure slipped inside. Col. Greene was sitting at his desk with his hands on his head.

"Have troubles?" the figure asked. Col. Greene looked up.

"Tom Maelstrom," he said. "How long has it been?"

"Too long," said the Samuel L. Jackson look-a-like. "West Point?"

"I guess so," said Col. Greene.

"I heard about your little incident," Maelstrom said as he sat down at Col. Greene's desk.

"They're dedicated, but they can be so frustrating," said Col. Greene. "And the Senate called me in. Senator Evergreen seems to hate me."

"I saw that," said Maelstrom. "That's why I'm here."

"What do you want?" Col. Greene asked.

"I'm here on behalf of S.W.O.R.D.," said Fury. "I'd like to discuss a  _joint_ resolution." Col. Greene stayed silent, a look of thought on his face. He stayed like that for a few moments before leaning forward.

"I'm listening."

:-:-:-: **Power Rangers GPX** :-:-:-:

End chapter


	10. Under New Management

Power Rangers GPX, episode 26: Under New Management

:-:-:-:We're the best chance, for humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, let's go!:-:-:-:

It's a nice, sunny, warm summer evening in Orlando. With sun going down and reflecting off the buildings, it provided an ethereal glow. The cars driving past offered another image. These people live here and they're returning home after a rough day at work or an eventful day at one of Orlando's tourist attractions. There's more to this city than that, though. And while it has a dark side (like all U.S. cities) it's still home to many.

Even downtown was a place to live. Yeah, the steel-glass apartment buildings that helped dot the skyline and the houses in places like Lake Eola Heights remind you that this is a home for many.

Okay, the home thing is getting old. But it's still a nice evening. Families are out enjoying the evening. Some of them are at the Lake Eola band shell for an evening of music. Some of them were heading out to Orlando's nightlife. It's a vibrant, modern city. Who wouldn't do anything like that?

_CRASH! ! !_

And of course, the city is home to five superheroes called the Power Rangers.

Kevin, in morphed form, lifted himself out from a damaged car. "This looks familiar," he remarked to himself. He got out just as a Zordonian cyborg threw a punch at him.

He blocked it and countered with a hard left hook. The punch dented the cyborg's head. The other Rangers were taking care of the many Swabots in town. Another familiar scene!

Sean was finishing up his batch of Swabots. He jump kicked at the first Swabot. He ducked and countered. Then, he jumped and kicked at another one behind him. He gave quick one-two punch and took down the last Swabot he was fighting.

Aaron had it a little easier. He took a big swipe at the Swabots and punched one into oblivion. He ducked and blocked with his foot. Then he jumped, tackling another group of Swabots. He pushed the Swabots into a crowd of them.

Maria hacked and slashed with the Haz Daggers. Crystal flew all around and sparks exploded. She cut upwards, sparks exploding from the Swabot's chin. She got down and sweep-kicked the Swabots down. Then, she threw them at the Swabots.

Hitomi had gotten over her recent anxieties and was kicking butt. Yes, she realized she's an important member of the team and all that crap. She blocked a Swabot sword with her Am Staff and retaliated with a thrust to the chest. She jabbed the blunt end into the last one and slashed it.

Sean ran over to the cyborg. He punched at it. It blocked the punch, and kicked back. Sean tumbled backwards. Aaron threw an upper cut forcing the humanoid cyborg backwards. Maria jumped on his shoulders and thrust the Haz Daggers down into the cyborg's shoulders. Hitomi came in, spinning the Am Staff.

But when Sean tried to kick the cyborg (really just an upgraded Swabot) something went wrong. After the kick, he felt something wrong with the suit. It wasn't moving. Sparks flew out from the joints and a feeling of dread fell over him. "Oh no," he said. "Not again."

"Not good," Aaron said as his suit began to flail around. The cyborg didn't take long figure out what was going on. It whacked Aaron right in his chest. Luckily Kevin's suit was still working. He drew his Octane Blaster and fired a couple shots.

Sean was able to get the suit to work again and attacked the cyborg. He unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks at the robot that ended when… "Oh, no, not again! Come ON! MOVE! !" The cyborg punched him in the chest.

He winced while Maria used his body as a springboard to attack the cyborg. She thrust the daggers into the cyborg before she started freezing up, too. Sean got up and caught her before she fell. "What's wrong with the suits?" she asked. "They did this yesterday!"

"Don't talk!" said Sean. Hitomi was busy with the cyborg, doing as best she could. Her suit wasn't freezing up, but it was clear it was malfunctioning. "We need to end this," said Sean. "Supercharge!"

The Rangers grabbed their AcceleKeys and jammed them in the Octane Blasters. They let off two volleys of blaster fire that destroyed the cyborg.

Their suits disappeared in a flash of light and Sean collapsed on a nearby car. "I think I'm gonna be sick," he said.

"Please don't!" said Kevin. But it was obvious he was sick, too.

"Something is wrong with the suits," said Aaron.

"Ya think! ?" Sean asked after a nasty Technicolor yawn. "Ugh, and that was a good pizza, too." Maria rubbed his back, even though she too was ready to barf.

"If the suits are making us vomit, something is certainly wrong," said Maria. "And I think we need to leave… once we're done losing our lunches."

"That's obvious," said Sean. "I just hope the city isn't going to mad at us."

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

Kalderon just happened to be watching the fight from his apartment in Kissimmee. Zordonian satellite cameras, people. And even he had an interested look on his face. He examined the suits freezing up and malfunctioning time and time again. No, he wasn't obsessed. Instead, he looked more… pleased.

"Emperor Rashon," he said. "Have you seen the footage?"

" _Yes_ ," said the Emperor. " _It_ _looks_ _like_ _your_ _plan_ _won_ _'_ _t_ _need_ _to_ _be_ _fulfilled._ _Who_ _shall_ _I_ _send_ _down_?"

"Please send down a cyborg," said Kalderon. "And Hercuron."

" _He_ _has_ _been_ _yearning_ _to_ _fight_ _the_ _Blue_ _Ranger_ ," said Rashon. " _I_ _will_ _tell_ _him_ _to_ _go_ _down_ _with_ _you._ "

"Then he will not need any incentive," said Kalderon. "I look forward to our victory."

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

Since Sean has what you  _could_ call long hair (even though it didn't go past the bottom of his neck), you could imagine the bed hair he's got. Well, it's not bad, but Kevin still made fun of it. Of course, on this particular morning, Sean replied with a Death Glare nasty enough to make the Irishman back off. Even Aaron knew better than to say anything. But… "You need a haircut," said the South African.

"So do you," said Sean. "You look too much like Bob Marley with those dreads, Zulu."

"I like them!" said Aaron.

"Testy," said Maria. "Are you always like this in the morning?"

"Are you?" asked Sean.

"Sometimes."

"Well I'm used to times much later than this," said Sean. "I don't think the jet lag has worn off yet."

"Which jet lag?" Maria asked. "The one from Tokyo or Chicago, because you slept for half the time we were in Toronto."

"There was nothing to do on that day!" said Sean. "We went to the Blue Jays—oh wait, we stayed in the Rogers Centre hotel." Don't worry; you should be able to see what happened sooner or later.

"Then it must be Chicago," said Maria. "Don't worry, it's only one hour."

"Laugh it up," said Sean. "Take a look at Hitomi. Her clock is screwed up."

" _Chica_ , are you okay?" Maria asked.

"My body still hurts," she groaned.

"Oh, I'm sorry  _chica_ ," said Maria.

"Hitomi, you should be resting more," said Sean. "I know you don't want to be a load, but I'm not sure you should be fighting in that condition. And I'm only saying that because the rest of us are worried about you."

"Thank you, Sean," she said.

"I can understand that," said Hitomi. "Thank you."

"It is really that bad?" Aaron asked.

"It's not too bad," said Sean. "It's not as bad as the beating Kevin, Maria and I took back in Japan against Phaedos. I'm  _still_ feeling that." Remember, back in episode 13.

"How's that rib?" Aaron asked.

"It's fully healed," said Sean. "I went to the doctor about it yesterday with Rob."

"We're talking about me, not you!" said Hitomi.

"Sorry," said Sean.

"In all honesty, Hitomi's probably a little more fragile than us," said Maria. "No offense,  _chica_."

"None taken," said Hitomi.

"We also need to find out about Silver," said Sean. "But since we have no leads, we can't really do much about it."

"I hope you don't get obsessed with him," said Aaron.

"If I was obsessed, I'd have brought him front and center as soon as this conversation started," Sean replied. "Is there anything we c—"

_Ding-DONG!_

"What was that?" said Kevin. "And at this  _ungodly_ hour?"

"We're still in our pajamas!" said Aaron.

"Forget it, I'll take care of it," Sean said as he got up to answer the door.

He opened it up and found him face-to-face with a man wearing a black leather trench coat. The man looked at him and sighed. "You're still wearing gym shorts from high school?" he asked.

In his still kinda-sleepy state, he said, "Hey, who ordered the Samuel L. Jackson look-a-like?" Then the man forced his way inside, much to Sean's, well… "HEY! Who said you could come in? This is bre—Col. Greene? What are you doing here?"

"This shouldn't take too long," said Col. Greene. Several men wearing black came inside much to Sean's surprise. He followed them into the kitchen where the new guy was looking over the Rangers. They felt… awkward, to say the least.

"So these are the Power Rangers," said the man. "They certainly don't look the part."

"We wanted them to stay civilians," said Col. Greene, "Including in terms of dress."

"Is that supposed to sound nice?" said Maria, "Because if you keep insulting us like that, we're going to throw you out." The Rangers flexed and cracked their fingers. The man in the eye patch seemed to hesitate.

"You should see what they can do in these forms," said Col. Greene. "Don't underestimate or insult them, Tom."

"Very well," said Tom. He gestured for the apprehensive Sean to sit down, which he did. He paused, and spoke. "My name is Tom Maelstrom, director of Strategic Worldwide Organization of Reconnaissance and Defense, or S.W.O.R.D., for short. I've been watching you for some time, and I'm here with an announcement."

"What kind of announcement?" Sean asked.

"S.W.O.R.D. has taken over joint command of Project Ranger," said Col. Greene. "The personnel will stay the same, but will use S.W.O.R.D. facilities and S.W.O.R.D. operatives as back-up."

"What?" asked Maria.

"S.W.O.R.D. and the UN are sharing joint command of Project Ranger," said Maelstrom.

"Who or what is S.W.O.R.D.?" asked Aaron. "I've never heard of them."

"I'm glad you haven't," said Maelstrom. "We're a top-secret, highly classified, however you want to say it, organization. That's all I can say about us."

"They're partially funded by the UN, but act independently," said Col. Greene.

"So technically, we're not leaving the UN," said Sean.

"But why is this happening?" asked Hitomi.

"Project Ranger isn't very popular in the US government," said Maelstrom. "Senator Jim Evergreen of Tennessee, who's pretty popular with the Tea Party crowd, has been criticizing Project Ranger and brought Col. Greene to his Senate committee. Luckily, Greene has an ally in Senator John Klein of Vermont."

"Evergreen's been going all 'fiscal conservative' lately," said Col. Greene. "He's been getting a lot of support, as Mr. Maelstrom said, from the Tea Party. He also thinks you're a threat." The Rangers burst into laughter.

"Us a threat?" Sean asked. "Yeah, right!"

"Conspiracy theorists, Tea Partiers and Ben Dreck have been singling you out," said Maelstrom. "They've latched onto documents released via the Freedom of Information Act linking you to the US government."

"It means the guise that this is a civilian operation is slipping," said Col. Greene. "Not even the character of 'Professor Gearhead' we created is working, all thanks to some paranoid nuts with Internet access. Luckily, we still have the Miyazawa money."

"I guess the government can't pull off a simple job like that after all," Sean remarked.

"But don't expect things to change too much," said Maelstrom. "You'll just be getting better support. Plus, we've destroyed a few documents. There's no evidence you're working with the US government."

"I like it," said Sean. "But you did this to save your own skins."

"Unfortunately," said Col. Greene. "But, I'm still in command of Project Ranger. I can't bear to leave this Project."

"Touching," said Kevin.

"SHIELD has a facility in Kissimmee," said Maelstrom. "We'll be shifting our command center there and should be completed in a matter of days."

"What about the Silver Ranger?" Aaron asked.

"The Silver Ranger is a concern," said Col. Greene. "My people forgot to include a GPS transmitter or an RFID chip so we could track it, and we should have been able to lock onto the user's DNA. Since they were forgotten, we can't."

"I think we already knew that," said Sean. "But the guy was sloppy when fighting. He can't be a Project Ranger member."

"But he was good when it comes to his fundamentals," said Maelstrom. "His fighting style reminds me of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Oh, speaking of morphers, we need to give you something."

"What is that?" asked Maria.

"Since your suits are malfunctioning," said Col. Greene. "They need to be changed."

"But we liked them!" said Sean. "They did their jobs!"

"They were workhorses, true," said Col. Greene. "But these new suits are faster, stronger, tougher, and better."

"I like the sound of that already," said Aaron.

"We have the equipment with us," said Maelstrom. "Just give us your morphers… now that that's taken care of, please get dressed and wait until we're done."

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

"I cannot  _wait_ to wrap my hands around that blue bastard's neck!" Hercuron growled while Kalderon winced at the strong man's savage attitude.

"Good for you," he said. "Do you know the plan?"

"ATTACK!" Hercuron shouted.

"He got dumber," Kalderon muttered. "But we must watch for the new Silver Ranger. We have no information on him."

"He is not my concern," said Hercuron. "Killing the Blue Ranger is."

"I hope you are not obsessed with him," said Kalderon. "Do  _not_ attack unless I order it, understood?"

"Yes," said Hercuron.

"Good," said Kalderon. "You will have you chance at the Blue Ranger. Just be patient."

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

"… According to eyewitness testimony, these people calling themselves 'Choushinsei Flashman' attacked the Swabots and, that's it," said Capt. Granger.

"That's it?" asked Aaron.

"That's it," said Capt. Granger. "The eyewitness said he left."

"Looks like we'll have to talk to the Flash Rangers," said Sean.

"Easier said than done," said Kevin.

"The Flash Rangers should appear once the Zordonians attack again," said Hitomi.

"Unfortunately, they never attack on cue," said Sean.

Right one cue…

"A Zordonian force is about to land in downtown Orlando," said one SWORD agent. The others looked at Sean.

"What do ya know?" he said.

"And your morphers are ready," Maelstrom said as he unveiled their old morphers. "We kept them that way since you're used to them."

"Thanks," said Sean.

"And, we got you black leather jackets."

"Oh, yeah!" said Sean.

"Perfect!" said Kevin.

" _Mucho_ _bueno!_ "

"Hundreds!" said Aaron.

"Okay!" said Hitomi.

"Stop praising them and take the jackets!" Col. Greene shouted.

"Don't have to tell us twice," said Sean. "Let's go!"

"Wait, are we going to morph now or at the scene?" asked Kevin.

"I vote we wait," said Aaron. "I want to see the look on their faces when they see our suits."

"I like his thinking," said Sean. "Looks like we need a ride."

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

Right on cue, a force led by Kalderon and Hercuron landed in Orlando's Central Business district. Having already been through this, Orlando residents ran as fast as they could. "They're smart," said Hercuron. Kalderon nodded. They were quickly surrounded by the Orlando Police and SWAT.

"They always do this," said Kalderon. "You can have some fun with them if you want." Hercuron savagely smiled and cracked his knuckles.

"Fall back!" shouted the police chief. Hercuron growled and rushed the cops.

But an explosion stopped him dead in his tracks. As the dust cleared he noticed a police officer loading a rocket into a tube. Hercuron didn't need to be told this was the man who shot him. He jumped, ready to strike, and—

"Hercuron!" he stopped. "It seems we have some company!" He pointed at a black SUV that had arrived. Five people wearing black jackets climbed out to confront them.

"Were you going to start this party without us?" said the one wearing a baseball cap with a flaming "C" on it.

"I was wondering when you were going to appear!" said Kalderon. "Red Ranger!"

"Oh, he recognizes us!" said Sean. "So how do you like the new threads?"

"Why are you wearing them?" asked Kalderon.

"We're under new management!" said Sean.

"Oh, really?" said Kalderon.

"Red, let's just cut the chatter and show him our  _other_ new threads," said Kevin.

"Gladly," said Sean. "READY! ?"

" _READY!_ _!_ _!_ _"_

" _GPX,_ _Start_ _it_ _Up!_ " Hercuron shielded his eyes from the flash and looked back to see the Rangers' new uniforms.

First off, the straps at the shoulder blades were wider than on the rest of the torso. The stripes on the sleeves were over a black rectangle, just like on a road and bordered by white. The Arsenal-like stripes were back on the side, but this time they only went down to the knee. The belt, rings, chest insignia and helmets were still the same.

"Not too bad," said Kalderon. "Hercuron, you can attack any time you want."

"GET THEM! !" shouted the savage Zordonian. The Swabots rushed the Rangers like in the early battles. The Rangers did the same and they met in the middle.

Sean tore through the Swabots like they were paper. The suit was that good. They had no chance to stop him as he punched and kicked with all his strength. He gave a hard right hook. The Swabot's head crumbled. He back kicked another one. Its chest was dented. He ducked and slammed into the next one. He grabbed one and tossed it into a pile of Swabots. Grunting and screaming, he slammed into the next Swabot, grabbed it and let loose with the punches. He really looked like a hockey player.

Kevin picked the first Swabot up and piledrove it into the pavement. He ducked and blocked the Swabot's punch, he countered, destroying the upper part of the robot's torso. He ducked, tackled the next Swabot and threw it to the ground. He blocked a Swabot's kick and countered with one of his own. He back kicked the next one. His suit gave him more energy and strength. It was a rout.

Aaron started by introducing his fist to a Swabot's face. The robot's skull was crushed. He dodged the next Swabot's punch, and retaliating with a left hook. He roundhouse kicked one that tried to sneak up on him. He ducked and threw the next Swabot off of him. He ducked and twirled, his boots screeching. He swatted at one Swaobt. The ring on his gauntlet spun, sending sparks flying. Then he threw the Swabot off. He jumped up, and used a Swabot as a springboard to kick on.

Maria jumped on top of a parked car. The Swabots lunged at her. Then she jumped, extended her arms and slammed the Swabots to the ground. She got up, blocked a Swabot sword. She countered with a punch that dented the robot's gut. She jumped, spun and kicked at a multitude of Swabots. A few heads rolled. She blocked a punch and countered, hard. She pulled out her blaster and let off a couple of shots. She ducked and two Swabots slammed into each other.

Hitomi felt herself getting grabbed by a Swabot. She didn't stop, just kicking two Swabots in front of her, and then bashing the Swabot behind her with her head. Now that she had some breathing room she jumped up and grabbed on to the street light. She started swinging like on the parallel bars. She launched herself at the Swabots, kicking one into a group of them like a bunch of bowling pins. She reverse roundhouse kicked a few and looked up to see Hercuron charging Kevin.

"This does not look good," said Kalderon. He turned to Hercuron. "Why aren't you attacking them?"

"My apologies!" said Hercuron. He punched the palm of his hand and ran towards Kevin. Kalderon had a split second to react when Sean aimed his foot at his face.

Kalderon retaliated by telekinetically pushing him back. "I am not Phaedos," said Kalderon. "Do you actually think you can beat me?"

"Most people who say that get their asses beat," Sean replied.

"It will not happen today," said Kalderon. "I have to leave now, so adieu!" He disappeared, leaving Sean fuming.

"KALDERON, YOU COWARD! !" He shouted. Luckily, he still had something to fight when a big robot threw a punch at him.

We cut back to Hercuron punching at Kevin. "Stand STILL!"

"No!"

Hercuron threw a right straight. Kevin jumped out of the way. Hercuron found him and punched him in the chest. Kevin fell to the pavement. He struggled to get up. The blow had hurt his sternum. Hercuron raised his fist and was about ready to throw a wicked punch. But Kevin rolled out of the way. Hercuron's fist broke through the pavement. "I feel sorry for the taxpayers," Kevin muttered.

Kevin got up, holding his chest. Hercuron threw a hard right straight. Kevin felt the blow on his helmet and he staggered back. The HUD in his helmet said that there was no major injury. Well, that's good. "I've been waiting the do this," said Hercuron. "Say good—"

_POW!_

A figure came out of nowhere and punched Hercuron right in the right cheek. He flopped on his backside, holding his cheek. Kevin looked to see—"Maria?"

"I don't like him," she said. "I just wanted to give him a punch in the  _cabeza_. Besides, it looked like you needed help."

"Thank you," Kevin said sarcastically.

"You're welcome," she said before getting attacked by another Swabot.

Well, it did give Kevin time to recover and he started his counterattack. When Hercuron got up, Kevin threw a massive right hook at him. Hercuron blocked the punch and Kevin retaliated with a left straight. Hercuron caught it, but the two started to struggle.

Meanwhile, Sean had gotten into it with a commander Swabot. Now these are much different from regular Swasobts, so Sean had his hands full. The commander Swabot had its hands on his neck, but not squeezing. Sean was trying to rip its arm off. He kneed the Swabot in the gut.

The Swabot stumbled back, and started throwing punches. Sean dodged several, throwing a few back. "Huh, I didn't know Maria could hit that hard," he said before the Swabot punched him.

Hitomi jumped in, taking a big cut with the Am Staff. Some exposed circuitry and sparks flew out. She thrust the back of the staff into the Swabot's head. That's when it noticed Aaron and—

"AAAAHHHH! ! !" Aaron noticed it, summoned the Mountain Axe, took a big cut aaannnnddd… cut its arm off.

"Ouch," said Sean. He took his blaster and shot its head off. "This fight's been easier than I expected," he said. Then he noticed Hercuron. "One second thought, let's go!"

"Gladly!" said Maria.

Hercuron picked Kevin up and tossed him into the pavement. Even with the new suit, he was still having trouble. Kevin recovered quickly and threw a massive punch at Hercuron, landing on his right cheek. Hercuron touched his cheek, smiling savagely. "You're good, Blue Ranger," he said.

"Not good," said Kevin. Hercuron wound up to throw another punch at him.

But a pair of shots hit Hercuron. Kevin expected to see Sean, but got a big surprise. "Bet you weren't expecting me, huh?" said the Silver Ranger.

"No," said Kevin.

"I wasn't talking to you," said the Silver Ranger. From the look on Hercuron's face, he certainly wasn't.

"I was wondering when you going to show up!" Sean said as the other four gathered around to protect Kevin. "We have some questions to ask you!"

"Maybe later," said Silver.

Hercuron growled. "I don't think he wants to see all of us," said Hitomi.

"Too bad," said Sean. "One at a time, gentlemen!"

It was actually Hercuron that went first. Angry that his fight with the Blue Ranger was interrupted, he rushed the Rangers. Aaron stepped up for the Rangers, tackling him in the gut. Hercuron grunted and threw Aaron away.

"Green! You okay?" Sean called.

"Not really," said Aaron.

Silver was next, pointing his weapon at the Zordonian strongman. Maria pulled out her blaster and fired off a couple of shots. Sparks flew and Hercuron screamed in pain.

Now it was a free-for-all. All six Rangers attacked. Hercuron couldn't hold them all off and several of them landed hits.

Their superior numbers had Hercuron on the run—literally. He made a break for it and the Rangers gave chase. Sean jumped up, tumbled over and landed in front of him. "Don't even think about it!" he said.

Hercuron screamed and threw a massive punch at the Red Ranger. Sean dodged, grabbing his arm and elbowed him in the face. Kevin grabbed Hercuron's shoulders and dragged him away. He wound up and threw a hard right hook at Hercuron. The blow made the strongman stagger backwards.

But he is still much stronger than all of them. He kept his footing and fired back, knocking Kevin into Aaron, Hitomi and Maria. But Silver was next, kicking him right in the face. "Ooh-rah!" he said.

"Ooh-rah?" said Sean. "Hey! Who are you!"

"I'm the Silver Ranger, of course!" he replied.

"I know that!" Sean replied. "What's your name?"

"I'm not telling!" he said matter-of-factly. Sean growled.

Hercuron picked Hitomi up and tossed her—lightly—to the side. Aaron grabbed his arm, pulling him to the ground. Silver ran up, flopped on his back and elbowed Hercuron right in the chest. John Cena, eat your heart out!

Meanwhile, Eltar was monitoring the fight and starting to panic. "Where is Kalderon?" he said. He growled and got on the communicator. "Hercuron! Get out of there!"

Hercuron growled while he got up. The Rangers had him surrounded. " _Leave,_ _now!_ _It_ _'_ _s_ _too_ _dangerous!_ "

It was obvious from the look on his face he didn't want to leave. But underneath that he was certainly considering it. "I will," he said.

Sean realized what was about to happen. He rushed forward, but it was too late and Hercuron disappeared in a flash. "Well that was a bust," he said.

"I guess it's time to leave," said Silver. But Sean grabbed his shoulder.

"Not so fast!" he said. "You have US Government property. Where did you get it?"

"I'm not telling," said Silver.

"You think I'm joking around?" said Sean. "Tell me now!"

"No!" Silver said, throwing his arm off and taking off.

"AFTER HIM! !" Sean shouted. The Rangers started to chase him but, he was long gone.

"Damn," said Kevin.

"What a waste," said Maria.

"Not quite," said Sean. "We got one thing out of him.

"What's that?" asked Aaron.

"This guy was in the Marines," said Sean.

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

Hercuron was forced to lick his wounds not just physically, but mentally. This was probably the first time he'd been beaten this soundly. But it wouldn't stop him. If anything, he was going to get back at the Rangers. But, he had a few bones to pick with a certain general.

"Hercuron!" Eltar said as he walked up to him. "What happened?"

"Kalderon left me," said Hercuron. "Is he here? I want to—"

"He's not here," said Eltar. "But we can call him. I want to know what he was thinking too, especially now that the Emperor has returned to Zordon."

"He returned to Zordon! ?" Hercuron shouted.

The command center was filled with screens. It showed scenes in every area the Zordonians controlled, even Earth. Eltar pressed a few buttons and Kalderon's image popped up. "Kalderon, you have some explaining to do!" said Eltar. "And I do not want any excuses!"

" _I_ _wanted_ _to_ _evaluate_ _these_ _new_ _suits_ ," said Kalderon. " _I_ _felt_ _that_ _—_ "

"That is an excuse!" said Eltar. "Hercuron was nearly killed because you left! Once Emperor Rashon hears, you will be in big trouble!"

" _I_ _apologize!_ " said Kalderon.

"You are lucky Emperor Rashon likes you," said Eltar. "Because if you were Phaedos, he would have had you frozen again!"

Kalderon growled. He bowed his head and said, " _I_ _understand._ _It_ _will_ _not_ _happen_ _again._ "

"It had better not," said Eltar. "The Rangers are getting better. We cannot afford to let them gain on us if we intend to reclaim Earth."

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

End chapter


	11. Save the Children

Power Rangers GPX episode 27: Save the Children

:-:-:-:We're the best chance for humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, let's go!:-:-:-:

Sean took a deep breath and sighed. There was an apathetic, almost forlorn look on his face as he set his head on his palm. He was looking off in the distance, transfixed by some invisible object. He let out another sigh. His fingers were rapping on the island counter. They were the only sounds in the entire kitchen. Despite being an intense person, Sean looked depressed.

And that was concerning to a certain Venezuelan woman. "Sean?" she asked as she walked up to him. A look of genuine concern was on her face. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," he said. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

"I don't know," he replied. Maria wasn't so sure.

"It seems to be more than that," she said. She reached out and touched his hands. He looked at her. "You can tell me."

His face hid an internal battle.

Whatever the hell it was, she had to break him out of it. Otherwise, he'd wallow in his own angst. And that can't happen, since he's the leader, and she l—I mean, cares about him like a friend. "Just say it," she said.

"My dad called," he said. "He asked if I was going to register for next semester."

"That's not too bad," she said.

"I haven't."

"Oh. So what's the problem?"

"I HATE UIC," he said. "But no NHL team drafted me and no one came to offer me a deal. Now I'm stuck without a team, a job, and maybe even a college career."

"So you don't know what's going to happen?" Maria asked. "Maybe you should have listened to your  _papi_."

"Not you too," Sean said, tapping his head on the island counter. Maria couldn't tell whether to feel sorry for him or think he's pathetic. But then, even she had to know what it was like to be a confused college student… because she's one, too.

"I'm sorry," she said. Sean looked up. "I feel the same way. Ever since Chavez kicked me out of Venezuela, I've felt like I've got nowhere to go. Brazil is a nice place, but… it's not home."

"That's sad, but what does it have to do with me?" asked Sean.

"I'm getting to that!" she said. "When I lived in Venezuela, my  _papi_ was the chief engineer at a TV station that was critical of Chavez. After Chavez had the station shut down and he was put out of a job, I lashed out—"

"Get to the point!"

"Sorry!" she said. "I go to university in Rio, now, but I feel like a nomad… I can't go back. I want to go home." A few tears streaked down her cheeks. Sean watched her, his face showing true empathy. In a moment where his body reacted, his hand reached up and wiped away her tear. Maria looked at him, shocked. He just smiled in his own way.

Maria found herself moving closer to him. It was as if her body was on autopilot. She did notice when she saw that Sean was looking a little nervous. If only he wasn't a 21-year-old virgin. There was also some confusion in his eyes. She didn't need him to talk to know that he had no idea what she was doing. Hell, she didn't know what she was doing, either!

She moved her hand towards his. Now Sean was pretty bewildered, gulping in confusion. Even Maria was wondering just what the hell she was doing. Some voice inside her was screaming at her, wondering just what she was doing. Now she noticed their faces were oh, so—

"OI! What's the craic?"

The two broke off right before Kevin waltzed in the door, holding two bags of groceries, followed by Hitomi and Aaron. The trio walked in to see Sean and Maria looking away from each other, acting as if nothing happened. Kevin opened his mouth but closed it immediately. Nothing would have come out of it, anyway.

"We got the milk," said Hitomi, "And Sean's apples."

"Thank you," he said.

"And the beer."

" _Muchos gracias_ ," said Maria.

"Did I interrupt anything?" asked Kevin.

"NO!" said Sean.

"No!"

"Nah, man, you didn't miss anything!" Kevin could tell Sean was lying. But, he decided to drop it.

"Commander Maelstrom told us that S.W.O.R.D. was investigating the Silver Ranger issue," said Aaron. "Col. Greene said it took pressure off of his unit."

"Any leads?" said Hitomi.

"He only said 'Oo-Rah'," said Sean. "I know you think it narrows it down, but there's probably thousands more Marines or Marine veterans in the region."

"Does that rule Rob out, though?" said Kevin.

"No," said Sean. "I do think he's a suspect."

"Why?" said Aaron. "What makes you think he is?"

"Because usually, someone close to one of the main characters is the sixth Ranger," said Sean. "I'm not stupid. But to be honest, I might still be surprised if I find out."

"Why?" said Hitomi.

"Just think about it," said Aaron.

"I still don't understand," she said.

"Forget it," Sean said, getting up from the island. "I'm gonna watch TV."

"What's wrong with him?" Kevin asked. Maria glared at him and then shook her head.

"You're an idiot," she said, walking over to the couch. Kevin looked at the others in confusion. Neither of them had anything to say, until they saw Maria sitting down next to Sean. While Kevin and Aaron had confused looks, Hitomi had a look of devastation. Aaron shrugged and walked away, probably going to see Jasmine again. Kevin shook his head and walked back upstairs.

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

Eltar never sat in his brother's throne. Part of it was the law; only the Emperor (or Empress) could sit in the throne. The other part was respect. Even if the law did not exist, Eltar's respected Rashon too much to sit on the throne. And while he was concerned about Rashon's borderline obsession with Earth, he wanted what was best for his brother. And while Rashon was back on Zordon, Eltar was in command of the Earth operation.

But while he wanted what was best, he did not want a gigantic problem. The problem was the Power Rangers, who were making it difficult for Rashon. The other problem was Kalderon. While he was respected among the other Zordonian royalty, Eltar did not like Kalderon. He didn't take to kindly to Phaedos, either, but nobody really liked him. Kalderon's problem was his ineffectiveness.

In a sense, it brought the problem full circle. His refusal to say just what his plan was was making the problem even worse. Why would he support this plan? It was foolish. All he was doing was pumping money into a Terran media company, that's it. For Eltar, it wasn't enough. And despite Gargotron giving the Rangers a hard fight, he had yet to really do anything against them. Kalderon had better have something hard.

And speak of the devil, Kalderon arrived in his office. Because Eltar was a prince, and not the Emperor, Kalderon did not have to bow before him. He did, however, have to salute a superior. "I am here to report," he said.

"What is your attack plan?" said Eltar.

"Where is Emperor Rashon?" Kalderon asked.

"Emperor Rashon has to govern," said Eltar. "He cannot concern himself with constant attacks on Earth. That is why never—"

"I know, that Eltar," Kalderon interrupted. Eltar fumed. How  _dare_ he interrupt royalty!

"First off, why must I let you talk when you interrupt a crown prince?" said Eltar. "Second, you always claim to be able to defeat the Rangers, but you have yet to even defeat them! Why should I let  _you_ talk to my brother?"

"Because the monster I want is under his command!" said Kalderon.

"My apologies," said Eltar. "But I cannot guarantee he will allow you to use the monster. Do you know who it is?"

"Yes," said Kalderon. "Lefugryn." It was a name that the author just typed the words out randomly, but for Eltar, it had a different connotation.

"Him?"

"Yes," said Kalderon.

"Are you positive?"

"Would I be requesting him if I was not?"

"You do recognize the troubles Rashon would have to have him released?"

"I recognize them," said Kalderon. "And I want him as soon as possible."

Eltar sighed. Lefugryn was not a monster one would trifle with. Not even General Zentor would want to deal with him. "I understand," said Eltar. "But if he gets loose, I am holding you responsible."

"I understand," said Kalderon. "I will fit him with a restraining device if needed."

"A smart choice," said Eltar. "Very well. You should hear from me very soon."

"What is he thinking! ?" Liaria said as she and Tirna listened in.

"He's gone mad," said Tirna. "He can't be that desperate." Even a conniving general like Tirna didn't want to deal with Lefugryn. "I do not wish this madness on him!"

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

Sean waited patiently while Bridge tried to get her daughter strapped in her car seat. The key word here is "Try". Allie was still going through the "Terrible Twos", and was making it difficult for Bridget. Sean slumped down in the driver's seat all the while. Forget the embarrassment (or pride) of taking Rob's Mustang to get Allie to preschool, how about the fuss Allie was making? It was enough for Sean to bang his head against the steering wheel.

"Sweetie,  _please_!" Bridget begged. I swear I'm not trying to make Allie look like a total brat; it's just the phase she's going through! I have a niece who went through the same thing.

Anyway, enough about me. "BUT I DON'T WANNA!" Allie screamed. Sean had to cover his ears.

"Jeez!" Sean groaned. He looked in the rearview mirror to check if she was in. Just one more click… got it!

"Okay," she said. "Okay Sean, Rob still needs this thing, so get it back as soon as possible."

"Gotcha," said Sean. Bridget gave her daughter a kiss and got out of the car, closing the door. "Okay, kid, I've got an idea," he said while making some adjustments. "If you behave here, at preschool, and on the way back, I'll get you some ice cream." Allie's face brightened.

"YAY! ! !" Perfect. Sean fired up the engine and played around with the radio. He found a good station when the opening riff for 'Whole Lotta Love' started playing. Sean laughed while Allie started to whine.

"Alright, I'll turn it down," he said as he backed out of the driveway.

It didn't take long for him to arrive at the preschool. He had less trouble getting her out of her seat, as if Allie had resigned herself in her own three-year-old way to her fate. Maybe because the preschool actually has some nice toys, or some kids she's really good playmates with. In any case, she wasn't the terror she was earlier.

"Hello!" said the teacher, a woman about Bridget's age with dark brown hair. "Oh, and who might you be?"

"I'm Sean," he said with an annoyed look. He probably thought Bridget would tell her he was coming, but apparently not. "I'm her uncle."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," she said. Sean had to wonder why Allie didn't want to come to preschool. She seems like a nice lady. "Hello, Allie," she said while he held Allie.

"Hi," she said.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I forgot to introduce myself," she said. "My name is Michelle Grainger."

"I heard about you," said Sean. He checked her leg. There was a boot on it.

"It's getting better," she said. "And I'm sorry but you seem to be in a bad mood."

"I've just been having the typical college student angst," said Sean. "The whole 'What am I gonna do with my life' thing."

"Oh," said Michelle. "I'm sorry to hear about that. Well, I'll make sure Allie's gets along with everyone, and tell Bridget to come by."

"Sure," Sean said as he left. "Tommy should come by around noon to drop off her lunch. See ya!"

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

Captain Tyzonn was wondering what General Kalderon was thinking when he asked for Lefugryn. The monster certainly had an appearance that matched its reputation (or is that the other way around). Terrans (or at least Christians) had a belief that horns were an emblem of a character known as "Satan". If that's the case, then Lefugryn would look like him.

His teeth were sharp and long, adding to his fearsome appearance. But his skin was white and his body bulked. His eyes glowed with an evil yellow. The soldiers around him were nervous. The Swabots stayed still. They were machines, after all. "This is good!" he said with sociopathic glee.

"You are under my orders," said Capt. Tyzonn. "If you dare break loose, I will make sure you don't get far."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" said Lefugryn. His vocal tone was full of sarcasm.

"Listen, if you do try anything funny, I'll have you shot," said Capt. Tyzonn.

"Captain!" said one of his soldiers. "We should be moving into position."

"Hold one for one moment," said Capt. Tyzonn. "I want this beast to understand what happens if he gets loose."

"But General Kalderon sai—"

"I know what General Kalderon said," Capt. Tyzonn interrupted. "But I don't want any problems with this monster. And if you have anything to say, ask permission first or I will have you court-martialed!"

"My apologies, sir," said the soldier.

"Listen, beast," said Capt. Tyzonn. "We have strict orders from General Kalderon. We are to take the city's central district and set up a perimeter. Either the Power Rangers or the enemy's forces will arrive to stop us." The soldiers reacted when they heard "Power Rangers".

"Power Rangers, huh?" said Lefugryn. "Forget this, I want to fight them!"

"Hold him!" The soldiers pointed their guns at the monster.

"Already?"

"I was expecting this," said Capt. Tyzonn. "Restrain him!"

"Deactivate the Swabots, he may have hacked them!" said one soldier wearing sergeant's stripes.

"Oh, you're smart!" said Lefugryn. "Too bad I won't go quietly!"

"I was expecting that," said Capt. Tyzonn. "Do it, now!" One soldier rushed up with handcuffs. It was then things went south.

"Sir! The Swabots!"

"Damn!"

"He's loose!"

"Stop him!"

Their efforts were in vain. Lefugryn knocked them all out without breaking the proverbial sweat. The monster leapt away from the soldiers, a group of hacked Swabots in tow. "FIRE! !" The Zordonian soldiers opened fire, but they couldn't do anything. "DAMN!"

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

"That's right!" Miss Grainger said with a warm voice. The kids applauded each other while she read the book to them. "So what does this say here?"

"The cow says 'mooo'!" said Allie.

"That's right, Allie, good job!" said Miss Grainger. "Okay, then, I think it's time for lunch. Allie, isn't your Uncle Tommy coming?"

"Yeah," said Allie.

"Okay, everyone, let's get your lunch ready! It's time to eat, now!" The kids cheered while she got up. While the kids got their lunches, she got her lunch; a sub sandwich. While she grabbed her sandwich, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She looked up to see a monster and robots striding towards them. Her eyes widened in shock as the monster fired two lasers at the door.

_KA-BOOM!_

The room was filled with the screams of the kids. "Hang on!" she said, trying to protect them. She looked back to see a cackling monster.

"Hello, kiddies!" he said.

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

Tommy had to hurry on his bike. He nearly ran over some people on his way to the preschool. The bag with Allie's lunch flopped around on the handle bars. He started to notice police cars and tanks, but he really had no clue what was going on. He just weaved through them to find the preschool.

It was then he found it.

"Where are the Power Rangers? !" a monster shouted from the doorstep. "Unless they show up, I'm killing these kids!"

Tommy didn't need an incentive to get away. He just knew he had to find someone. Sean could know! And before he knew what was going on, he was riding all the way to Sean's neighborhood. He panted and panted, his legs burning from riding so fast. But he had to get there, now! Allie's in trouble! He's got to save her!

He's at the neighborhood! There's the house! Next thing her knew he was off the bike and running in. Why is the door unlocked? He burst into the house. Now he's in the kitchen. Sean's at the island, eating something. "Tommy, what's wrong?" he asked.

"It's Allie!" he said. "The preschool! Some monster's taken it over!" Sean's eyes widened in shock. Then, a stern and determined look on his face.

"You stay here," he said as he got up with a huff.

"Wait, what?" He barely had time while Sean stormed off the garage. "What are you doing?"

"None of your business, I said stay here!"

"No way!" said Tommy. "I'm not letting you go! What are you doing?"

"Getting help," said Sean.

"But the cops and National Guard are there!" said Tommy.

"Not that kind of help," Sean said as he got in the door. "Can't believe I have to take this piece of crap."

"Wait, you're taking Rob's motorcycle?"

"Does it look like I have a choice?" Sean snapped.

"Why?"

"I took the long way back to enjoy the Mustang," said Sean. Tommy sighed.

"Well, I know how to fix this thing," said Tommy.

"Really?" he said as he grabbed the riding jacket.

"It's an electrical problem," said Tommy.

"Really?" said Sean. "It's a new racing bike, how could it have electrical problems?"

"Maybe Rob has been mistreating it," he said. "I think it needs a little adjusting."

"Well, hurry it up!" said Sean. "How does a ten-year-old know all this?"

"Got it!" he said. "Try it." Sean fired the bike up. He smiled as the bike roared to life. "Now take me with you!"

"Now way," Sean said as he put the helmet on.

"Why not?"

"Because what would happen if I let my little brother die?" he said as he flipped the visor down. He revved it up and rode off, leaving Tommy in the dust.

"What was that about?"

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

"Dammit!" Kalderon shouted into the communicator. "What is he doing now! ?"

" _He's taken the pupils of a Terran 'preschool' hostage_ ," said Capt. Tyzonn. " _The local law enforcement and National Guard are at the location._ "

"Very well," said Kalderon. "But handle him as quietly as you can. If he wants the Power Rangers, they'll likely appear."

" _He did demand to fight them_ ," said Capt. Tyzonn. " _But we are preparing to take care of him, even if it means working with the local authorities._ "

"If that is the case, then so be it," said Kalderon.

" _Yes, sir!_ "

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

Sean arrived, hiding among some trees. The place was surrounded by cops and National Guardsmen. This is a hostage situation. They couldn't take any chances. And worst of all, Allie's in there. Who knows what kind of psychological problems will happen to her later in life? Well, he wasn't going to take a chance. And when Sean O'Callahan decides to act, it's big. "Guys, get over to Allie's preschool ASAP. Don't ask, just do it! NOW! It's morphin' time. GPX, Start It Up!"

In a flash of light, he was the Red Ranger. Now getting past the cops was the hard part. What with all the Swabots around, the monster could be threatening to kill the kids. He hated hostage situations.

Fuck it!

"We've been here thirty minutes, and nothing's been—what the? !" Sean jumped over the cops and Guardsmen. The Swabots reacted, but he tore into them like a tornado. "Chief, the Red Ranger's here."

"What the hell is going on out there?" Lefugryn said. The kids and teacher were all huddled up in one corner of the room. Miss Grainger was holding on to Allie and another boy. "Well, if it isn't the Red Ranger?" he said. Miss Grainger couldn't help but be surprised. "Time to die, Red!"

Sean was still tearing through the Swabots. There happened to be a  _lot_ of them. He was in no mood to stop, kneeing a Swabot in the gut and then chopping in on the back of the neck. He side kicked another Swabot that appeared out of nowhere. And despite the police presence, there was no end to them.

Until the big guy showed up. "There you are, Red Ranger!" he said at the doorway.

"Oh, crap," said Sean.

Lefugrynran up to Sean.  _SLAM!_ He swatted him into the side of the building.

The cops cringed. That had to hurt! Sean got up gingerly when he saw Lefugryn running up to him. He punched Sean right in the helmet. He spun like a top before hitting the ground. "Ow," he said. He struggled to get up. Lefugryn punched him right in the gut. He groaned in pain. This was worse that Gargotron! Lefugryn slammed him on his back. The cops cringed again.

"OPEN FIRE! !"

The sound of gunfire filled the air, all aimed at Lefugryn. He turned around and looked at them, his mouth in a psychotic smile. His eyes began to glow. Suddenly, he fired eye beams at the cop cars and National Guard tanks. He cackled while the cops and Guardsmen ran for their lives.

He did not notice Capt. Tyzonn and his soldiers approach. While the local authorities escaped, the soldiers snuck up on the vicious beast. Capt. Tyzonn steadied his men while Lefugryn sauntered over to the writhing Ranger.

Sean's helmet diagnostics were going crazy. He'd re-aggravated the injuries he suffered against Phaedos. This is bad! He saw Lefugryn standing over him, still smiling. "You think you're the Joker?" Sean asked. This earned him a kick in the gut. "Ow."

"This is the great Red Ranger?" said Lefugryn. "Pathetic!" Okay, this guy's gonna pay.

Sean got up, hitting Lefugryn hard. He threw a hard right hook and a roundhouse kick. He ducked down and threw a sweep kick. It knocked Lefugryn down. The monster got up and Sean punched him hard in the face. Lefugryn flew backwards. Despite the pain, Sean was, "I'm not going down that easily!" he said. He rushed forward, summoning his GT Sword. He took a big cut and sent sparks flying.

"Impressive," said Capt. Tyzonn.

"Captain?"

"Hold your fire. I want to watch this."  _POW!_ "OPEN FIRE!" Laser blasts hit Lefugryn, sending sparks flying. These did more than the bullets the police and National Guard use. Sean watched in surprise while Lefugryn actually howled in pain. He was in for even more of a surprise when he saw who was shooting him.

"Zordonians?" he said. But he couldn't let up. He pulled out his blaster and let off a couple of shots. He noticed one Zordonian officer saluting him. "Damn," said Sean. "This guy must be tough."

It was then his HUD alerted him to an incoming presence. He didn't have time to process that when a flash of silver crossed his field of vision. "Speak of the devil."

_POW! !_

Silver hit Lefugryn so hard even Capt. Tyzonn was shocked. Sean watched in amazement while Silver beat the crap out of Lefugryn. This gave Sean the opportunity to check on the kids and save them. While Silver was busy, Sean snuck over to the window.

There were three Swabots in there. They were guarding the kids. Miss Grainger was holding on to Allie and two other boys. The kids looked terrified. He couldn't blame them. They're 3-5 years old, who knows what kind of emotional trauma they could suffer later in life? Especially Allie. Well, she's his niece, for cryin' out loud! They're related by blood; of course he's going to worry about her more!

Time to act.

Sean snuck past the two fighters. Then he rushed to the door. He opened it and found himself face-to-face with a Swabot. "Damn," he said. He threw a punch. The Swabot blocked it. It countered and slashed him with a sword strike. Sean screamed as he flew out of the preschool, the kids screaming. "Dammit!" he growled. He prepared the GT Sword again.

The Swabot rushed forward and Sean stabbed it in the gut. Although he wished he hadn't done that, since the kids screamed in terror. "Sorry about that!" The other Swabots rushed him and he backed out of the preschool. They followed him and he started fighting.

He took a cut out of the first one. Some sparks flew, but it wasn't enough. The Swabot grabbed the sword and almost ripped it out of his hands. Like he was going to let that happen. To his surprise, a pair of shots from the Zordonian soldiers destroyed it. He was going to need to get used to that. He woke up, taking a big cut out of the next Swabot.

"Why are you so mad, huh?" said Lefugryn. "Are any of those kids yours?"

Silver hesitated. Sean watched, wonder what he was going to answer next. "No!" Figures.

This gave Sean an opening. He grabbed his AcceleKey and jammed it into the sword. With a little turn, the blade was charged and ready. "Okay, what do I have to say now? Oh yeah… GT Strike!" He swung the sword, a beam of energy shooting out of the blade like the Sword Beam in  _Legend of Zelda_.

"AAAHHH! ! !" Right on target! Lefugryn was thrown forwards, nearly crashing into Silver. Sean was right on his heels.

"Hold still, freak!" he took a big cut at Lefugryn. Sparks flew. Sean spun around and took another cut. Lefugryn screamed in pain, sparks flying all around. Silver stood there, wondering what was going on. And despite the pain, Sean stood tall. "Looks like you're not as tough as I thought," he said. He readied the sword to bring down on Lefugryn. "Any last words?"

"Yeah, look out!" He fired his eye beams. Sean screamed in agony, flying backwards. Lefugryn stepped forward, cackling evilly. "Time to die, Red Ranger!"

"Turbo Blast!"

Sparks erupted from Lefugryn. Several other shots hit the monster and sparks flew. Sean had a pretty good idea who they were.

"What fuckin' took ya?"

"Well, the kids are safe," said Kevin. Sean sighed.

"Forget it," said Sean. "We need to end this. Supercharge!" They turned their keys in their weapons. "Let's finish this! GT STRIKE!"

"TURBO BLAST!"

The others fire from their blasters. Each attack hit Lefugryn and he exploded before he hit the ground. "Well, he wasn't so tough," said Aaron.

"That's a lie," Sean said as he collapsed.

"Damn! Let's get him out of—where's Silver?" said Kevin.

"I think he's got a kid at this preschool," said Sean. "You should have seen him."

"Sure," said Maria. 'But we need to get you fixed up."

"Make it quick," said Sean. "I'll have to pick Allie up."

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

"Captain Tyzonn, you did well out there," said Eltar. "You managed to save the Terrans, something I never expected to say."

"Thank you, your highness," Capt. Tyzonn said with a bow.

"Kalderon, I must question your judgment," said Eltar. "Why did you send such a dangerous criminal to dispatch the Rangers?"

Kalderon was seething. His teeth were clenched and it looked like he had no intention of answering. But… "I wanted results," he said. "By main plan is taking longer than expected, but the American government is starting to question the Rangers."

"I understand the need for results," said Eltar. "But that was not enough! You're lucky Rashon likes you. If it were up to me, I would have you reassigned to Kessel!"

"I understand," said Kalderon.

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

"Hello, Sean, how—oh, my goodness, what happened?"

"Took a bad tumble," Sean replied. The preschool was swamped with parents who'd panicked about their kids. Some of them would eventually get over it; others would, unfortunately, become overprotective. If it were up to Sean, he wouldn't let Bridge get overprotective. "Is Allie okay?"

"She's okay," said Miss Grainger. "I'm not sure about psychologically, but she seems to have taken a liking to the Red Ranger."

"She has, huh?" said Sean. It was then Allie rushed up to him.

"UNCA SEAN! !" She cried, burying her face in his shorts leg.

"Hey, take it easy, kiddo," he said as he picked her up. "Well, I'd better get her home. Bridge is probably rushing back from Disney World by now. And it looks like I'll be doing some more babysitting. Come on kid, let's get out of here."

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

"ALLIE! ! !" Bridget's shouts rocked the septet (the Rangers plus Tommy and Allie) from their TV-induced reverie. They looked back to see a frantic Bridget desperate to see if her daughter was okay. "Allie, thank the Goddess!"

"Goddess?" said Maria. Allie rushed over to her mother.

"MAMA! !" she shouted as Bridget picked her up and held her like she wasn't letting go. Rob came in while Bridget kept on about how glad she was to see Allie safe and sound. "Mama, the Powa Wangas came," she said.

"What, Power Rangers?" said Bridget.

"The Red one," said Sean. He was trying to hide his bandages, so he didn't get up. "And then a new Silver one. Hell, you should have seen him! I think the Silver guy had a kid in that school."

"Wow," said Rob. "He must have been amazing." This piqued Hitomi's interest. It also got Sean interested, but he didn't really care much about it.

"I only wish I could have done something," said Bridget. "I hope I'm not a failure as a mom."

"Bridge, it wasn't your fault," said Sean. "These events were out of your control."

"You're right," said Bridget. "But whoever the Power Rangers are, they certainly have more than enough thanks from me."

"And I'll bet they're welcome," Sean said with a smile. They watched Rob, Bridge and Tommy leave. At this point, they could all sigh. "Jeez! What the hell took you so long?"

"Too many  _Gárdaí_  around," said Kevin. "And the National Guard."

"And the strangest thing is, the Zordonians helped me," said Sean. "Well, some unit of Zordonians, anyway."

"What about the Silver Ranger?" said Aaron. "We didn't find a thing about him."

"Au contraire," said Sean. "Remember what I said?'

"So, you think it's—"

"No," Sean interrupted Hitomi. "But whoever he is, he's going to make a mistake towards his identity. And we'll be all over him."

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

End chapter


	12. The Sixth Ranger

****

Power Rangers GPX episode 28: The Sixth Ranger

:-:-:-:We're the best chance, for humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, let's go!:-:-:-:

"… Furthermore, it is clear the 'Power Rangers' are not just a menace, but a threat, either to the public, property, or even themselves. While it is a massive stretch to say that they are plotting to overthrow the government, despite their good intentions, they are putting innocent bystanders at risk with their risky behavior. Their destructive methods are costing millions of dollars in property damage, it is highly doubtful either the City of Orlando or the State of Florida could pay for either of them.

"Finally, their lack of sense, throwing themselves into danger against an unknown enemy is downright foolish. While I am not talking about our men and women in uniform, these 'Power Rangers' are behaving recklessly and almost seem intent on killing themselves. I don't know if the military really is supporting these people, but if they are, they must stop supporting them immediately." Eltar put down the copy of the day's  _New York Times_. His face showed pure amazement. "I must congratulate you, Kalderon. You have turned the public against the Rangers."

"Thank you, Eltar," said Kalderon. "I knew you'd see things my way."

"But you have only been doing this for a month," said Eltar. "And you only have a small number of Terran journalists turning against the Rangers. Do you intend to keep this up?"

"Of course!" said Kalderon. "And that is not even the thrust of the plan! I will keep hitting the Rangers until their spirits are broken!"

"Is that the entire plan?" asked Eltar.

"Of course not," said Kalderon. "I cannot indulge the entirety of my plan. But I will need another monster. Actually, make it a robot, they are expendable."

"A weak robot?"

"Of course not!" Kalderon replied. "Give the Rangers a battle they will not want to have again. "But since Gargotron is not available, send down the fourth best robot."

"Very well," said Eltar. He hid his annoyance well as Kalderon walked out.

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

The marble halls of Congress; the place where laws are made and policies decided. This is where great moments in American history have happened. Presidents have spoken here and great statesmen have resided. Here, American democracy is in full view for all to see. Representatives chosen by the people come here to help their constituents and exercise their love for American democracy. Yes, this is Congress, all right.

And it's full of morons and out-of-touch rich people. And I'm not just talking about the current Congress (in 2011, 2012).

But enough about the author's thoughts about Congress, this is about our main characters. And one main character is Col. Alan Greene. While the Rangers are sort of under the management of S.W.O.R.D., they are still under the jurisdiction of the US Military. And Col. Greene is here on Capitol Hill to testify about Project Ranger. "I hate Congress," he said to his aide.

"Why?" said the aide.

"It's full of morons who only care about re-election and pleasing their big-time donors," said Col. Greene. "It's only a matter of time before they come up with some  _really_ stupid laws."

"So you hate them for the same reason everyone else does," said the aide.

"That, and they're getting too nosy for my tastes," said Col. Greene. "Evergreen's especially a pain in the ass."

"Is it a good idea for you to be criticizing Congress?" asked the aide. "You sound like you want to take over."

"I'm a citizen, too," said Col. Greene. "I can have opinions, can't I?"

"My apologies," said the aide. By now they were outside the room where the Senate Armed Services Committee was convening.

They were all there waiting for him. Chairman Carl Levin, a Democrat of Michigan sat next to John Warner, a Republican from Virginia. Jim Evergreen, the Republican from Tennessee sat to the right, while Rhode Island Democrat Joseph Klein sat next to him. Col. Greene stepped before them, took off his hat and raised his right hand. He took his oath to tell the truth and nothing but the truth before sitting down before the proverbial firing squad.

To his relief, most of the questions were softball questions. It was easy for Col. Greene to answer them. He just sat back (figuratively) and let them ask their dumb questions. Of course he thought they were dumb, he shares the sentiment most Americans have, that their elected representatives are fucking morons. But that's been established. And Col. Greene still has to do his job.

"Colonel, we've had multiple complaints about these Rangers," said Senator Lieberman. "Why are they still operating there?"

"I would expect complaints," said Col. Greene. "I don't think everyone would like them."

"Are you actually monitoring the progress of these Rangers?" asked Senator Levin.

"I won't comment," said Col. Greene. He is under oath, and can't lie. Might as well stay silent.

"Why won't you comment?" asked Senator Evergreen. Of course, Col. Greene was kind of worried about him. "Are you trying to hide something?"

"I can't answer that," said Col. Greene. Damn.

"Why not?"

"I believe I already answered that," said Col. Greene.

"How long have you been connected to this project?" asked Senator Levin.

"I can't answer that," said Col. Greene. Now things were getting bad.

Senator Evergreen said, "Colonel, the reason we're asking these questions is because we're concerned," No shit! "I think the American people deserve to know what these people are, are they a threat?"

"They are not a threat," said Col. Greene. "They're trying to  _stop_ a threat."

"How do you know this?" said Senator Evergreen.

"An educated guess," said Col. Greene.

"Are you going to tell us who they are?" asked Sen. Evergreen.

"No," said Col. Greene.

"Why not?"

"Because I won't," said Col. Greene. There's some subtle hints in there, but I'm going to let you, the reader, figure it out.

"Is there a reason why?" asked Sen. Evergreen.

"Yes, but I can't say what it is," said Col. Greene.

"Col. Greene, are these people under your command?"

"No, Senator," he said.

"What?" Senator Evergreen looked flummoxed. "We have documents here linking you to this project. Are you lying to us?"

"They command themselves," said Col. Greene.

"I want to think you want to deny this 'Project Ranger' even exists," said the Senator. "Is there some kind of secret about it?"

"Maybe," said Col. Greene. "I won't comment on it, though." God, this guy's getting annoying! "And I thought the Tea Party placed a high priority on national defense. Wouldn't this count, too?"

He could see Senator Evergreen get uncomfortable. Several of the Senator's comments in the recent past suggested a distrust of the UN and the rest of the international community. His association with conspiracy theorists also raised suspicion. For someone like Col. Greene, a man who had potentially extremist views in a position of power like this was unnerving as a citizen.

It was with this background that this hearing had become a game of mental and verbal chess between the two. Col. Greene did his best to cover-up any involvement in Project Ranger in hopes of making Senator Evergreen look like a fool. And if he got in trouble, he had Senator Klein to help him out. "Senator, I do not understand this line of questioning," he said right on cue. "I do believe the Colonel does not want to talk about it for his own reasons."

"Senator Klein, I disagree," said Senator Evergreen. "These people may have access to technology far more advanced than we know. How do we know they won't try to turn on the American people?"

"I have not seen any indication they will turn on the American people," said Senator Klein. "I think you should look at the facts before jumping to conclusions."

"Gentlemen, we will conclude this hearing this afternoon," said Senator Levin. Apparently he thought it was getting silly and decided it was time to take a break.

Col. Greene got up and left. An aide followed quickly and whispered in his ear. "Sir, we've found a lead in the Silver morpher disappearance."

"What kind of lead?" Col. Greene asked.

"We found an Orlando police officer who saw the Flashman," said the aide. "They said they saw five strangely-dressed individuals who were in a neighborhood close to where the Rangers live. They didn't see them again after that. They tried to find them but they Flashman were gone."

"It's something," said Col. Greene. "Keep me posted. I assume S.W.O.R.D. knows?"

"Yes, sir," said the aide. "The Rangers have been notified, too."

"Excellent," said Col. Greene.

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

"So the neighborhood where the cop noticed the Flash Rangers was close," Sean said to a S.W.O.R.D. agent. The others were gathered around the kitchen island listening in. "Did he say exactly where it was?"

"No," said the short-haired female agent. "He couldn't remember which street it was on." The sound of papers flapping around was heard as Sean slammed them on the table.

"Dammit!" he said. "We've got the deal with the enemy, we're unpopular, those Fox News fucktards are blasting our every move, we're being investigated by Congress and to top it all off, we can't find a fucking lost morpher!" He rubbed his forehead. Maria put her hand on his left shoulder as if to console him. "I need a beer," he said.

"No, you don't," said the agent, named Anita King. "We're not going to let the Red Ranger become an alcoholic." It's a valid complaint, even though Sean was disappointed. Now theoretically, someone could be stone-piss drunk and still fight like he was sober when morphed. Practically, however, nobody wants to take that chance, plus, he still has to morph and an alcoholic Red Ranger presents huge challenges. It was better that he stayed sober.

"I feel like we're some kind of cosmic plaything," said Kevin. "I wonder whose side God is on."

"Apparently not ours," said Aaron.

"We don't need a god," said Sean. He was lightly tapping his head against the wall in frustration.

"He has his own beliefs," said Kevin. "Are you done yet?"

"Almost," said Sean. "Done." A light red mark was on his forehead.

"I hope you don't do anything worse to that head," said Agent King. "Look, S.W.O.R.D. is going to keep an eye on the situation. We can still get the officer's dash-cam footage. Maybe that will help."

"It had better," said Sean. "My only hope is that we're making Kalderon desperate."

"Why would he be getting desperate?" asked Aaron.

"We've been beating him, haven't we?" asked Sean. "At least Phaedos was able to beat the crap out of us. And I'm still dealing with the pain."

"Whatever it is, you need to watch your back," said Agent King. "For all we know, this information hasn't fallen into the hands of the enemy. We'll do our part. You just focus on fighting the enemy, understood?"

"Got it," said Sean. Agent King saluted them and walked away. "Looks like we gotta do some door-knocking," he said.

"No," said Kevin.

"Why not? !" Sean asked, almost offended.

"It's a wild goose chase!" said Kevin. "We're not going to find shite if we went door-to-door and it would take forever. We have no leads!"

"We already don't have any leads!" Sean replied. "That's like saying summer is hot! The only thing we can get is that cop's testimony. I'm desperate enough to go looking in that area!"

"But Kevin is right," said Maria. "The cop didn't say which street it was on, he just saw the Flash Rangers! Now, if he said they were on a specific street or general area, I would agree with Sean. But right now, I can't! "

"FUCK!" Sean yelled. He slumped back onto one of the chairs at the table not too far from the island. The others kind of wondered if Sean had developed an Ahab-like obsession with finding the Silver Ranger. Despite his already unhealthy obsession with hockey, this one was looking dangerous. But Hitomi was just about ready to come to Sean's defense, if she was given the right cue.

"What is with you and the Silver Ranger?" Aaron asked, right on cue. "This obsession is bad for you."

"Didn't you hear what Agent King asked earlier?" Hitomi asked. "Col. Greene has to go before those Senate guys and tell them about our failures. It is not like Sean is obsessed because he feels something for him. He wants to find him to help Col. Greene. And I want to help him, too."

"Are you appealing to our emotions?" asked Kevin.

"Kevin, I don't want to appeal to your emotions," said Hitomi. "You know Sean is angry. You know he wants to beat the Zordonians, and we can't—"

"Hitomi, what are you talking about?" Kevin interrupted. "You're just going on some winding tangent, what are you trying to say? Be coherent!"

"Kevin, shut up!" said Maria. "Don't get mad at her for trying to keep you calm!"

"You keep out of this, Maria!" shouted Kevin. "What do you have to—"

"SHUT UP! ! !" Sean shouted. "Look at us! We're turning against each other, over what? Because Hitomi's trying to come to my defense? So what if it was incoherent? She's got a point! We're unpopular, Congress is after us and this search is making things worse! We nearly broke up last month in Japan! I'm not going to let that happen again!"

A silence fell over the group. A feeling of guilt fell over them as they processed their leader's words. There could have been an attempt to respond to his words, but no-one could think of anything to say. Sean, meanwhile, sat at the table holding his head as if he had a headache. "Guys, when I said we don't quit, we… forget it."

"So what do we do now?" asked Aaron.

"I don't know," said Sean. "I mean, we can't plan anything, especially—have you  _read_ those editorials? They're vitriolic! Anyways, forget it. We can't plan. Let's just take whatever the Zordonians throw at us and send it back tenfold. We can beat these guys. And if we can't, the army will. But we  _have_ to focus. And finding out who the Silver Ranger is, is a big step. Am I clear?"

"Yeah," said Aaron. "I just didn't think being a Power Ranger was so hard."

"It's not easy," said Sean. "But I think we can handle it."  _Beep!_ "Go ahead!"

" _Rangers, we have an enemy attack in downtown_ ," said the S.W.O.R.D. agent.

"Damn," said Sean. "And right when the plot was getting going. Let's move!"

"This is so repetitive!" Aaron said while following the other Rangers out of the house.

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

Despite the repetitive formula of  _Power Rangers_ , the best way for the plot to advance any further is to at least try to follow the formula as long as you can until you are able to break the repetitiveness and deliver a spectacular work of prose. However, even then, you can find a way to make it spectacular. In some way, this is an apology from the author for not doing his best while writing. In that case, you're about to see some spectacular shit.

By now the residents of downtown Orlando were used to the possibility of Zordonian attack, and today was an example. An Orlando police contingent evacuated the downtown area as if to prepare the battlefield for the Rangers. Several OPD SWAT officers set up a perimeter near the library, where the Swabots and big robot were preparing to launch their assault.

"Just wait for the Rangers to show up," said the robot. "You know the—oh, forget it! Just blow things up!"

"Hold it!" shouted a police officer. "Put your hands up!"

"I surrender!" the robot said, holding up its hands.

"Get down on the ground!" The officer shouted again. "I SAID GET DOWN! ! !"

"You get down!" said the robot. Not the best comeback, but it got the point across. A pair of missiles popped out of its shoulders. Needless to say, the SWAT team was not equipped to handle this.

"Fall back!" said the same officer. The SWAT team fell back on order right when the robot fired its missiles. In a sheer miraculous (even without the existence of deities) moment, the missiles missed. In fact, it might not even be miraculous. The SWAT team fell back enough for the missiles to miss… or the robot missed on purpose. Either way, they were still alive.

But the robot wasn't done. It  _is_ here to raise hell, after all. It fired a couple more missiles. The SWAT team was in full retreat. The Swabots took the opportunity to spread out and attack more of the city.

But the National Guard was fighting back. They had City Hall evacuated and protected from the Swabots. They set up sand bags and created a temporary bunker and some missiles in front of the building. So the Swabots couldn't get anywhere near City Hall. And they wouldn't get very far, anyway.

Even with the Swabots wreaking all kinds of havoc downtown the cops and National Guard had the advantage in firepower. No tanks, but they had some anti-tank weapons to even the odds. It took a couple of shots to keep the Swabots at bay and—" _GPX, Start it Up!_ " What the—?

They noticed the Rangers morphing and leaping over them to take on the Swabots. They met the mass of Swabots head-on.

Sean jumped over several Swabots, tumbled on the ground, got up and jump kicked the first Swabots he faced. He got down and sweep-kicked several Swabots. He got up and a Swabot got its hands on his shoulder right near his neck. He grabbed the Swabot. He struggled with it before tossing it aside. He back-handed a Swabot in the chest. The ring on his glove spun, causing damage to the robot. He removed his hand and punched a Swabot right in the gut.

A damaged Swabot thrust its sword at Maria in a last attack. Maria stepped aside and kicked it to finish it off. She spun on her left foot, blocked a punch and kicked the Swabot in the gut. She ducked, a Swabot crashed into another. She got up and side-kicked a Swabot that didn't know she had fast reflexes. She jumped on top of the mailbox and kicked off it. She kicked a Swabot in the chest, knocking it into a crowd of them. They really need to stop being stupid like that.

In an impressive display of parkour and freerunning, Aaron jumped on top of a mailbox, vaulted off of it, flipped over and landed in the middle of the Swabots. He pulled out his blaster and let off a couple rounds. The Swabots exploded in a shower of sparks. He kicked a Swabot in the gut once and spun around, kicking it in the back of the head. A Swabot rushed up to him and found something poking it in the gut.  _Pa-chew_! The Swabot flew backwards with a big hole in its chest.

No matter how much they programmed the Swabots, they could not counter Hitomi's acrobatic skillset. She made them look like morons flipping around the place and taking them out with little effort. A Swabot swung its sword at her right as she back flipped and kicked it right in the chin. The sword tumbled in the air and landed on a Swabot's head, sticking through the chin. Hitomi kicked the sword out of the head, waited and when the sword was at the right height, kicked it into another.

He lifted a Swabot above his head like it was nothing. Then Kevin threw the robot to the ground and it shattered into several pieces. He ducked and gave a Swabot an uppercut to the gut (must be a weak spot). A Swabot grabbed him from behind, trying to strangle him with both arms. Kevin grabbed the Swabot's arms and tossed it to the ground. The body landed among a group of Swabots. He pulled out his blaster and let off a couple rounds before turning his attention to the robot monster.

The robot stepped to the side when Kevin threw a punch at it. Kevin pivoted, throwing a roundhouse kick. The robot blocked. It punched Kevin. He ducked, tackling the robot. He pushed it across the pavement and smashed it into a tree. The robot back handed him off. He recovered, bracing himself for the robot's attack. Instead…

"Target sighted," it said, pointing its missiles at Kevin.

"Damn," he said. He jumped out of the way as the missiles exploded around him. The remaining SWAT teams fell back, leaving the Rangers to themselves. Dammit!

Kevin stopped rolling and drew his Octane Blaster. He shot the robot twice, right at the missiles. The robot erupted in a shower of sparks, but the missiles were not destroyed. "Sean, I need some help!" Kevin shouted while trying to keep the robot at bay.

"I'm a little busy at the moment!" he shouted back. He was surrounded by Swabots. Not the best situation for him to be in. He pressed the button on his belt. The GT Sword materialized in front of him. He promptly grabbed it and took a big cut out of several Swabots. He spun on his left foot like his favorite video game character (read chapter 1 if you don't know) and cut a larger swath of Swabots.

He had an opening. He had to get to his best friend. He broke from the Swabots and ran for the robot. The Swabots, being smarter than the Rangers give them credit for, closed in on him. He groaned and kept fighting. He ended up making an opening and dashed over to try and get to his friend. However, he found Maria falling to the ground. He lunged and caught her. "You're welcome," he said.

"DAMMIT, SEAN! !" Kevin shouted. His hands were more than full wit— _KA-BOOM!_  What the hell was that! ?

"Never fear, Silver's here!" he said.

"You have got to be fucking kidding," said Kevin.

"Are you okay?" asked Silver.

"If only you arrived earlier!" said Kevin.

"Sorry!" said Silver. "Let's get him!"

"Gladly!" said Kevin. The two kiai'd and attacked. Silver went first, throwing a kick at the robot. The robot blocked, but Kevin punched it in the jaw. The robot retaliated, throwing a punch at him. He ducked and it gave Silver his opening. He punched it where the kidney would be. Of course, robots don't have kidney, so it wasn't much.

Silver drew his blaster and converted it to the Silver Sword. He took a cut out of the robot. He took two big cuts, sending sparks flying. Kevin grabbed the robot's arm allowing Silver to hack away at the robot. One combo later and the robot was flying backwards at the public library. Luckily it landed before it could hit the façade. The two rushed up to the robot. It got up, but it sounded damaged, its gears grinding.

Sean parried the attack of a Swabot, thrusting the blade of his sword through the robot's gut. He removed the blade and the Swabot fell to the ground. Maria just finished slashing a Swabot's neck. She backed up until their backs were nearly touching. "This is not good," he growled.

"I hate it when they plan these things," said Maria. They started to fight off more Swabots.

At the same time, Aaron and Hitomi were having trouble of their own. Aaron was knocked down by a Swabot. It grabbed him by the neck and threw him to the pavement and started squeezing. Aaron shouldn't have been able to feel it, but he could anyway. He groaned, trying to get the Swabot off. Hitomi took her Am Bow and shot the Swabot. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I just hope my windpipe wasn't damaged," said Aaron. He got up and attacked the Swabots.

"That's it!" Sean cried. "I've had it with these bolt-brains!" He grabbed his AcceleKey, jammed it in the sword and gave it a twist. The blade started to glow red. "GT STRIKE!" He took a big cut and cut down a horde of Swabots.

"Why didn't you do that earlier?" asked Maria.

"I don't know," he said. "Let's move!" He did the same thing with the Swabots fighting Aaron and Hitomi. "Kevin and Silver need some reinforcements," said Sean. "Let's move!"

Silver felt the blow to the back as he crashed into a tree. Kevin was struggling just to contain the robot. By now the robot was starting to overwhelm them. The robot overpowered Kevin and tossed him to the side. It advanced on Silver, ready to finish him off when sparks showered from it. Silver looked to see the other Rangers running towards them.

"Sorry," Sean said as he helped him up.

"It's okay," said Silver. "You know, you sound—,"

"Save it," said Sean. The others were helping Kevin get back up.

The robot didn't let them try to make a plan. It charged like a bull, knocking the Rangers down and/or to the side. All except Maria, who stabbed the robot and held on for dear life. She pulled one dagger out and thrust it into the robot's back. She must have hit something, because the robot started to malfunction. Silver bent down and readied his sword. "Electro Strike!"

"GT Strike!" Sean called. Silver thrust the Silver Sword and Sean took a big cut of the robot. Their strikes did the trick. The robot started exploding before falling to the ground and exploding in a shower of sparks. It looked like it was over.

But this is  _Power Rangers_. It's never over this early.

They heard the sounds of a roaring monster in the distance. "Fuck!" Sean shouted.

A Kel monster reared above the buildings. It must have landed not too far from the fight scene. "Well, it looks like we'll have to deal with it," said Kevin.

"You stay here," said Sean. "We have some talking to do. Grand Prix Zords!"

" _On their way!_ " said the S.W.O.R.D. agent.

"You stay here," he said, pointing at Silver. "We have some work to do." He said this Ywhile patting him on the shoulder and walking past him. Silver watched while the Rangers departed.

Just moments later, the Rangers jumped on top of their Grand Prix Zords. Sean drove the GT Racer, Kevin in the Touring Racer, Aaron in the Mountain Hauler, Maria in the Haz Runner and Hitomi in the Am Chaser. They jammed their AcceleKeys in the dashboards and activated the Grand Prix Megazord docking sequence. They did keep the Kel monster in place, though.

The Touring Racer split in two and hooked up with the Mountain Hauler, becoming the arms and body, respectively. The Haz Runner and AmChaser joined with the Mountain Hauler, becoming the legs. The GT Racer rolled up into the Hauler's trick bed and docked. The lights at the top of the cab retracted, folded back and the megzord fired several jets and up righted itself. The head was exposed and the megazord was upright, online and ready to go.

The megazord sucker-punched the Kel monster before it could escape from the cables holding it down. It threw another punch, knocking the monster to the ground. It grabbed its tail and picked it up. Bad move. The monster swatted the megazord. The Rangers struggled to keep control of the megazord. "I think it's time we finished this," said Sean. "I don't want this to go on any longer. Grand Prix Megazord Saber!"

The sword materialized in the megazord's hand. Aaron pressed a button and several rockets on the megazord's feet fired. " _Grand Prix Megazord Strike! Go!_ " The megazord launched forward, slashed at the Kel monster and stopped. " _Checkered Flag!_ " The monster fell to the ground and exploded.

Minutes later, the Rangers returned to the battle site. To their relief, Silver was still there. "You're lucky you didn't leave!" said Sean. "Otherwise, you'd have the National Guard on your ass."

"You said we have talking to do," said Silver. "I'm a gentleman, so I decided to wait."

"Good," said Sean. "Because you're not going anywhere until you ask some questions. First off, where did you find your morpher?"

"I found it," said Silver.

"I know that!" Sean yelled. "Where did you find it!"

"I'm not going to tell you!" said Silver.

"Listen you," Sean said, pressing the wheel on the side of his helmet. His helmet retraced into an earphone-sized clip on his ear. He got in Silver's mask and started berating him His face showed he meant business and then some. "You've caused us a lot of trouble, so you tell us where you found that or—"

"Sean?"

"What?"

"I didn't say anything!" said Silver. But the cat was out of the bag. Sean stood there, stunned.

"What th—" He whacked Silver's helmet, pressing the same button in the spoke. Silver panicked while his helmet contracted and Sean stepped back. He was stunned. "What the— _ROB? !_ "

" _ROB? !_ " said Kevin, equally shocked.

"Sean, you're a Power Ranger?" needless to say, Rob was just as surprised as Sean. Sean grabbed Rob and pulled him away from the other Rangers.

"Rob, what the hell are you doing? !" he asked angrily.

"I'm helping the Power Rangers!" Rob replied.

"I know that, but what are you—oh my gods," he couldn't finish his sentence. "My fucking brother-in-law is the Silver Ranger!"

"Is that a Captain Obvious?" asked Aaron.

"I think he's trying to process the revelation," said Kevin. "In fact, so am I!"

"Sean!" said Maria. "I think I hear the police!"

"Dammit," said Sean. "We gotta get out of here. You're coming to our house, got it?"

"Okay!" he said, not wanting to get in any other trouble.

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

Sean was still having trouble processing the revelation while Rob sat at the kitchen island. The others were de-morphed. Just imagine Rob's shock when he saw them. He nearly had a heart attack! "So… let me get this straight," said Sean. "You're saying that you just found the package on your doorstep, took it in and took the thing inside."

"Yeah," said Rob, just realizing the penalties for opening misaddressed mail (hint: it's bad).

"And you decided to use it?"

"Yeah," said Rob.

"And you managed to figure it out?"

"Correct," said Rob.

"Oh boy," said Sean. "We're in trouble."

"What are we going to do now?" asked Maria. "Are we going to press charges?"

"No, we're not gonna press charges, are you crazy?" said Sean. "That'll blow our cover!" Rob sighed in relief. "I have something much,  _much_ worse in mind." Gulp! Sean pointed at Rob and said. "We're going to have to keep you quiet, so you are joining us!"

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

End chapter


	13. A Bridge Too Far

Power Rangers GPX, episode 29: A Bridge Too Far

:-:-:-:We're the best chance, for humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, let's go!:-:-:-:

 _Sean was right. What have I gotten myself into?_  Rob thought to himself.  _I'm just a guy who picked up a package._ _He_ _was trained to do this. Jeez, I should have taken it back to the post office. Yeah, way to go, Mr. 'I'm-a-Marine'-I-can-handle-this. What the hell was I thinking? I mean, that robot was attacking the city, I couldn't just stand there. Why am I in such big trouble now? If only there was_ —

"Rob?" a soft voice jolted him out of his thoughts. He knew it wasn't Sean because A) the voice was feminine and B) if it was Sean, he would have gone 'ROB!' "Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry," he said, turning to Bridget. "I was just a little lost in my thoughts. Um, what is it?"

"We have to put the kids to bed," she said matter-of-factly. There goes the soft voice.

"Oh, right," he said as if he'd completely forgotten.

"You've been acting strange lately," said Bridget. "Are you doing anything behind my back?"

"No!" he said. She raised her eyebrow.

"Are you sure?" she said. "I hope you're not lying to me. If that's the case, then you're in big trouble, mister." Oh, she's an O'Callahan, alright!

"I'm sorry," he said with a nervous laugh. Of course, Rob knew what she meant by 'behind her back', and it has  _nothing_ to do with being the Silver Ranger (She's afraid he's cheating on her). "Bridge, you know I love you," he said. "And I guess we should put the kids to bed."

"Of course," she said as he got up from the couch. "Bedtime, kids!"

"But I'm not sweepy!" said Allie.

"Sorry kiddo, rules are rules!" said Rob, "You too, Tommy!"

"Why do you always do this?" he moaned. "Sean can stay up until two, why can—"

"You're not Sean!" said Bridget. "He's old enough, he lives on his own, he's allowed to. Allie, get upstairs!"

"I'll take care of her," said Rob. He picked his three-year-old daughter up and despite her protests, was yawning pretty deeply. Ah, kids. He walked upstairs while Allie started to waver in his hold. She must have been tired. Just seconds later, Bridget was marching her little brother upstairs. Rob had to be impressed with how she was able to get the 10-year-old to get to bed at 9. According to Bridge, she got that from her dad and moms.

"Don't make me stand over you!" she said while he marched into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Tommy may be 10, but that doesn't mean he wants someone standing over him while he brushes his teeth, so he grudgingly brushed his teeth with Allie brushing hers at the sink next to him.

"Come on, kiddo," Rob said as he took a nodding-off Allie into her bedroom. It just so happened that tonight he didn't need to read her a bed-time story. Sean had said she was asking about the Power Rangers. It just amazed Rob how close she was to the real deal. Sean must have been bending over backwards to keep Allie from knowing (although he suspected since she's only 3 she must have believed him).

Now it was time for him to relax with Bridge. She'd already sat back down at the couch watching some show on NBC. "Hey," he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," she replied. "I saw Sean and his friends. They looked kind of lethargic."

"They did?" Rob asked.

"Yeah," said Bridge. "I don't know why. But something's wrong in that house."

"I don't think so," Rob replied. "They're college-age. They stay up late and don't get a lot of sleep."

"I guess," she replied. "I mean, the day after they showed up, the Power Rangers appeared."

"Coincidence," said Rob. "These things happen."

"Why are you saying that?" she asked. "Are you trying to—"

"No!" Rob said, trying to cover his tracks. "I don't know why, either. But I just don't think we can jump to conclusions."

"Okay," she said, but sounding skeptical. "I'm just concerned. I mean, the city hasn't said anything about it, and there are daily fights downtown. I'm surprised downtown isn't a complete mess!"

"But that's why the Power Rangers are here," he said. "Just think if they weren't here. The whole city would probably be a smoldering mess." He has to defend everyone else, after all.

"Okay," she said, a little apprehensive. "But now that I think about it, Sean seems interested in that Venezuelan girl, Mari…?"

"Maria," he said. "Wait, what?"

"Of course!" she said. "They look like such a nice—"

"Hold your horses here!" said Rob. "What if—"

"Why not?" Bridget asked. "I've seen him grow up, he's been through enough in his life, and he deserves someone who will make him happy."

"What are you going to do, are you going to—"

"Oh, no, not at all!" said Bridget. "We'll just have to see what happens."

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

"Alright, let's get this over with," Sean said with his characteristic attitude while putting on some padded MMA gloves. Rob had a headguard and gloves on and a mouth guard in. He looked (and felt) like an idiot. Sean was basically "training" Rob in Ranger combat. Rob did the Marine Corps Martial Arts program for cryin' out loud! And right out in the backyard of the house Sean was living in, in the middle of a cloudless day!

"Over with?" Rob asked.

"I'm just not in the mood," said Sean. Maybe Bridge was right about him. He seems kind of distant and tired.

If this is the case, maybe Rob's presence may be doing something to him. Whatever it was, Rob didn't want to make Sean—"Why aren't you wearing a headguard?"

"Because I don't need one!" said Sean. "You need one because I punch harder that you. My jaw can take a hit."

"We'll have to see," said Rob. He put up his dukes and got into an orthodox fighting stance, Sean in his southpaw.

"Ready?" Sean asked. Rob nodded. "GO!"

Rob started, throwing a punch at Sean's jaw. His fist connected, but… it didn't really faze him!  _Damn_ , Rob thought. Sean countered with a right hook. The fist connected and—holy shit! That hurt! Rob staggered backwards holding his jaw.

"What's wrong?" Sean asked. "I was holding back!" He may have been holding back, but that hurt! Sean must hit  _really_ hard for that to happen. "Are you okay?"

"I think so," Rob said, testing his jaw. Determining his jaw to be fine, Rob recovered and threw a hard punch at Sean. Sean blocked and countered with a roundhouse kick. Rob blocked that one, too. He threw an uppercut at Sean. He flipped backwards effortlessly making Rob worried if he'd alert the neighbors. Rob rushed up and threw another punch. Sean blocked and front kicked him.

Rob dodged and side kicked Sean in the chest. Sean didn't seem fazed. He just elbowed Rob in the face. That hurt a lot less than a fist. Rob shook it off, countering with a right hook. Sean dodged, nudging his foot between Rob's feet and swept kicked Rob to the ground.

"Damn," said Rob.

"Yeah, I know," Sean said as he offered his hand to Rob. After he helped Rob pull himself up he got back into a fighting position. The two continued their sparring for several minutes before Rob got tired. "Already?"

"What did they do to you?" Rob asked. "They must have given you steroids or something. You're inhuman!"

"Well, I don't remember steroids," said Sean. "I think it would have given them away. I do remember the classes being very tough and a lot of kids dropped out."

"How  _did_ they hide their intentions?" Rob asked again.

"I've been meaning to ask," said Sean. "You'd think a government agency couldn't keep a secret."

"It's called a shredder," said an authoritative voice. The two looked to see Col. Greene dressed in plainclothes. Rob's Marine instincts kicked in and he stood at attention and saluted, to which Col. Greene saluted back. "At ease, Marine," he said.

"Where'd you come from?" Sean asked.

"I'm visiting Disney World with my family this weekend," said Col. Greene. "I felt like dropping by."

"If that's the case, you can talk to my wife," said Rob. "She knows some good deals."

"Right," said Sean. "So what's this about?"

"I've been going through some files," said Col. Greene. "I found this." He handed a folder over to Rob. His eyes widened as he read the contents of the folder.

"No way," he said. "I was scouted for this whole thingamajig?"

"Mr. Jackson was a person of interest," said Col. Greene. "However, he was too old for the Project, so we went with someone else. It's no big deal, really."

"I do have big deal, though," said Rob. "What about Cassie?"

"I think that robot we had in Japan will come in handy," said Sean.

"I do believe we can get it to you in a couple of days," said Col. Greene. "How old is Cassie? Three?"

"That's Allie," said Sean. "He's talking about his baby daughter who's six months old."

"Well in that case, we could get it here in a matter of hours," said Col. Greene. "What's she doing now?"

"Maria's taken a liking to her," said Sean.

"I think she makes a good babysitter," said Rob. "She looks like she could be a good aunt one day."

"Well, my wife is probably worried about me," said Col. Greene. "It's time I left." He saluted the two. Sean responded half-heartedly and Rob stood up straight. Col. Greene turned around and left.

"Sean," said Rob. "Bridge told me you guys looked tired."

Sean froze and looked at his brother-in-law. At the same time, Col. Greene turned around and looked at Rob. Sean's face showed a look of fear and shock. And Col. Greene seemed confused about what was going on. "Well, O'Callahan?" he asked. "What's going on?"

"I don't know what he's talking about," said Sean.

"Have you actually had any time to rest?" Col. Greene asked.

"No," said Sean. "But only because the enemy keeps attacking. We don't have time to rest! We're on edge all the time, and—oh, crap!"

Col. Greene sighed. "I was afraid of this," he said. "The Pentagon's already bad with the mental health of their soldiers. I was hoping this wouldn't happen to you. I'm going to get S.W.O.R.D. to pick up their efforts in fighting the enemy. You shouldn't have to do this alone. I'll report this to my superiors." With that, he turned around and left the property.

An awkward silence fell over the brothers-in-law. Sean's confusion was obvious, but Rob didn't know what to say. It stayed that way for several minutes. Neither of them seemed willing to say anything. Had there been any desperation in either of them, they would have said something. Sean tried to speak up several times, but never got anything past the first letter. It didn't seem like anyone would say anything.

"Sean, I'm sorry," said Rob. Sean opened his mouth to say something before getting fed up and storming inside.

"What did you do to Sean?" asked Maria.

"Nothing," said Rob. "But Bridge thinks you guys look kind of tired."

"Maybe he thought it was obvious," said Aaron. "I mean, we're always waiting for another attack. It's stressful for all of us."

"That  _would_  tire people out," said Sean. Where did he come from?

"Bridget's just worried," said Rob. "You know how she is."

"Yeah, yeah,"

"How?" asked Hitomi.

"Oh, she's always been protective of her baby brother ever since—"

"One more word and you're out of the team!" Sean interrupted.

"What?"

"If Rob can get Sean flustered," said Maria. "Then Bridge must know—"

"Please be quiet!" Sean pleaded. Maria held her hands up as if she didn't expect him to say it. However, Rob knew how emotional Sean could get in this situation, so he didn't try to push it.

"Maria," he said. He made a "cut it out" sign. He knew she liked to push his buttons, but it's best to leave this be. "So what's next?"

"We lie around and wait," said Sean. "It's the worst high-paying job in the world."

"High-paying?" Rob asked.

"You got a separate account from Bridge?" Sean asked.

"Yeah."

"Good." Rob raised an eyebrow. Okay, so maybe it might not be  _that_ bad. Oh, wait, he said worst high-paying job in the world. Maybe the  _Power Rangers_ TV show was skimming over a few things…

"And don't get us starting on your news media," said Maria.

"What did you guys do?" asked Rob.

"I have no idea," said Kevin. "But we must have made them angry."

"Does this have to do anything with Ben Dreck?" Rob asked. "Sean, I said, I don't watch him!"

"He's been a pain in the ass," said Sean. "Seriously, why is that lunatic on TV? We're not here to overth—oh, fuck."

"You were getting into a rant," said Rob. Sean nodded. "I can't believe I want the enemy to attack already."

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

Rob should really choose his words more carefully. As the Rangers spoke, Kalderon looked down over the I-4 SR 408 interchange. An evil smirk was on his face. Several Swabots and a menacing looking wolverine (the animal) cyborg monster gathered around him on top of the building he was on. "Do you understand your mission, Mauler?" he asked.

"Of course I do!" said Mauler, whose right arm was mechanical. "Destroy that thing, right?"

"Correct," said Kalderon.

"And we're doing this…" Mauler paused and then said, "Will this keep people out of the city?"

"There are more roads into the city than just this," said Kalderon. "This just happens to be an important interchange."

"Oh, I get it," said Mauler. "Do I need to say it?"

"I think we'll leave at this," said Kalderon. "Well, go ahead."

"NOW we're talking!" Mauler shouted. "Swabots!" He and the Swabots jumped off the building and teleported onto the upper SR 408 Bridge, causing several cars to swerve. Mauler tore open the drivers' side door of a Bentley and dragged the screaming owner out. He roared in the middle-aged man's terrified face and tossed him aside. He smashed the hood of another car, lifting it up and throwing it down.

Mauler laughed sadistically while several Swabots drove the commuters off the bridge. Others began to place charges on the bridge. "Come on Rangers," he said. "Let's see what you've got!"

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

 _RING, RING! RING, RING! Click!_  Sean pressed the speaker button on the landline phone (yeah, they have one) on the island counter. "Go ahead," he said.

" _We have enemy activity on the east-west SR 408 bridge,_ " said the operator on the other end. " _Swabots and a wolverine-like monster have shut down traffic on the bridge. The National Guard is on its way._ "

"What about the police?" asked Rob.

" _Do you actually think some Florida State cops with handguns can stop a wolverine cyborg_?" the operator replied.

"Sorry," Rob said embarrassedly.

" _We also have the National Guard bomb squad_ —"

"Bomb squad?" Aaron asked. "Why?"

" _Because the enemy is setting up demolitions charges on the bridge!_ " he exclaimed.

"Dammit!" Sean shouted, realizing the implications. "Let's move out! Ready?"

"Wait, what about Cassie?" Maria interrupted, holding the baby in her arms.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me!" Sean shouted. "What the hell are we going to do?"

" _There's a SWORD agent a block away,_ " said the SWORD agent on the other end.

"Wow," said Sean, impressed. "These guys are good. I hope they aren't spying on citizens."

" _The agent lives a block away,_ " said the other agent. " _And we're successful because we_ _don't_ _spy on ordinary citizens._ "

"Ah hell," said Sean. "Alright, get that agent over here ASAP. Alright, you guys ready?"

" _Ready!_ " The Rangers got out their keys, and Rob his cell phone-like Silver Morpher.

" _GPX, Start It Up!_ "They jammed their keys in their morphers, morphed, hopped in their Indys (except for Silver's new Silver Cycle) and sped off.

If the Zordonians' plan involved traffic jams, they were succeeding. Traffic was backed up for miles. Needless to say, it made it hard not only for the National Guard to arrive, but the Rangers. And Mauler loved every single minute of it. Any remaining commuters had been rounded up on the bridge and bound. Meanwhile, Swabots were planting charges on the bridge support columns. Police cars could be seen in the distance on I-4 directing traffic into downtown.

"They'll be here any time," said Mauler, getting a little impatient. "If not, I'll ah, here they come!"

The Indys sped down the I-4 shoulder from the north, right past the police barricade (the State cops aren't going to be happy) and skidded to a stop near the overpass. They got out (and off) and huddled up. "So now what?" asked Kevin. "Are going to kick their arse?"

"No, we need a plan," said Sean.

"A plan?" asked Aaron.

"Yeah, let me think," he said, pausing. "Okay, I got it. Two of us will take on the monster. Another two will free the hostages and another two will stop the Swabots planting the charges. Who's up for what?"

"Hitomi and I will handle the Swabots," said Kevin.

"I could work with Rob," said Aaron. "We'll take the hostages."

"That just leaves me and… Maria," said Sean. "Alright, let's MOVE!"

Mauler watched them break up, Hitomi and Kevin making for the support columns and Sean, Maria, Rob and Aaron made for the overpass. They leapt on to the overpass. "Alright ugly," said Sean. "Michigan sucks!"

Mauler growled. "Get them!" The Swabots left on the overpass charged forward. The Rangers split up according to plan, Rob and Aaron going to the right (for the hostages) and Sean and Maria straight ahead (for Mauler).

The Rangers pressed their belt buckles and their weapons materialized (except for Rob, who just drew the Silver Sword) and laid waste to the non-upgraded Swabots. Aaron and Rob were swarmed by Swabots. The two started swinging away relentlessly. They fought in tandem, taking out one Swabot after another. Rob would stab, Aaron would chop them down.

Rob ducked, allowing Aaron to swing at the Swabot. The robot's upper half flew over the two. They really worked well in tandem. In fact, Aaron's old bludgeoning strategy was changing. He looked much more finesse. Rob still looked jerky, though. Despite that, as he thrust the blade of the Silver Sword into the neck of a Swabot, he looked like he was getting the hang of being a Ranger.

Rob jumped over the Swabots, landing right in front of the hostages. They were surrounded by what looked like an invisible fence. "They held the others in that," Aaron said while giving a Swabot a headlock. Rob looked back. He noticed the posts planted at different intervals, but no way of shutting the fence off. This was going to be difficult.

Below the overpass, Kevin and Hitomi got to work immediately. The other four jumped on to the overpass and the two pressed their belt buckles. Kevin shot down two Swabots while Hitomi drew her arrow and shot down another one. They were gathered in the central pillars, and it looked like they'd have to jump the median to get to them. Kevin did just that, jumping into the southbound lanes, while Hitomi stayed on the northbound lanes.

Kevin approached slowly, letting off shot after shot. Hitomi summoned her Am Staff, a  _naginata_ -like weapon that was Daisuke's repainted Mountain Staff, and rushed the Swabots. She let loose on them, taking them out one by one. "Take the far pillar!" Kevin shouted. "Hold them off from there!" Hitomi waved back and tore through the Swabots.

Sean drew his Octane Blaster, tossed it in the air and summoned his GT Sword. Maria just summoned her Haz Daggers and tore through the Swabots. Sean caught the blaster in his left hand and shot a Swabot that came near. He locked blades with a Swabot. Maria thrust her dagger into the Swabot's back. The two fought the Swabots backwards, working in tandem. Sean blocked a Swabot sword and Maria stabbed the same Swabot in the gut.

Sean shot a Swabot and off'ed another's head. A dagger flew past his head, embedding itself in a Swabot's head. Maria ran up, grabbed the dagger from the robot's face and thrust it into another Swabot. "Wow," Sean said before blasting a Swabot and spin-attacking another.

So now came the hard part; how were Aaron and Rob going to disable the force field? As the hostages looked on, they inspected the force field. "I can't find anything," said Rob. Aaron slammed his fist on the force field. The electric wall gave him a little shock. "That was bad," said Rob. "Let's try this." He shifted the Silver Sword to the Silver Blaster, took aim and shot one of the posts. The post exploded.

"Well now," said Aaron. He wound up his axe, and, "TIMBER! !" The post began to break. The Zordonians must have been smart, because when a hostage tried to escape, he ran into the electric force field. "We'll have to break it down," said Aaron.

"Then let's get to work," said Rob.

Hitomi shot an incoming Swabot on and had begun working on far end of the overpass while Kevin stayed put. The OPD bomb squad had shown up and began working on the demolition charges. Kevin and Hitomi had to keep the Swabots at bay. Every now and then a couple of Swabots would drop down from the overpass, forcing them into action. A couple shots and arrows did the trick. "You know, for advanced aliens, these are pretty simple charges," said one bomb squad member.

"Maybe they're not as advanced as we think," Kevin quipped.

"No, this is typical demolitions explosives," said the cop. "It should be done—Watch out!"  _Bang!_  "Keep your head in the game!"

"What game?" Hitomi asked, lowering her bow.

"HEY!" said another cop. "Watch it!" Another Swabot jumped down. Hitomi shot it quickly.

"You can't even beat Ohio State, how can you beat us?" Sean taunted before Mauler tried to swat him off the overpass. He jumped out of the way and Maria took her chance, thrusting a dagger into the cyborg's circuitry. Mauler felt it in the right arm and tried to dislodge her, shaking his arm around. The dagger dislodged and Maria fell backwards… perilously close to the edge. Sean knocked Mauler to the ground, rushing to save Maria.

"Hold on!" He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her up. To their surprise, the two touched. They froze in this position. Then Mauler took a swipe at them. They broke apart, Sean jumping to the right and Maria flipping over Mauler. "Come ON!" Sean taunted. "You're not even—"  _SNIKT!_  "Oh, that's interesting."

"Just wait!" Rob pleaded with a desperate hostage. "We're working on this!" To his left, Aaron was chopping down another one of the electric posts. While not a sergeant, Rob had learned a few things in Iraq, like crowd control. "Don't move! Do you want to get zapped?" a good attempt at a warning, if any.

"Look, I just want to get out of here!" the desperate hostage shouted. "Please, tell me when—" A Swabot that had escaped Sean and Maria's wrath grabbed Rob by the neck, dragging him away. Rob grabbed the robot's arms and thrust it back in front of him. He staked the robot right in the gut then chopped its head off.

" _Now_  are you going to listen?" he asked. Every single hostage kept calm and carried on.

 _THWIP!_  Hitomi let an arrow fly, striking a Swabot in the chest. About five Swabots lay in front of her, arrows sticking out of them. She pressed her belt buckle and another arrow materialized. She notched it in her bowstring and prepared to draw. "We're almost done," said the bomb quad member. She kept looking as she heard Kevin shoot two more Swabots (her HUD alerted her to them).

Kevin shot another Swabot, but it sounded close enough that Hitomi had to look behind her.  _PING PING PING_  her HUD alerted her to a Swabot to her left. She drew her bow and let it loose. In a shot that would make Katniss Everdeen jealous (the book came out in 2008. She's read it), it struck the Swabot right in the eye. "Wow," said the bomb squad member. "I'm glad she's on our side."

 _CLANG!_ Maria's dagger got caught in Mauler's Wolverine claws (small-case means the animal, upper-case means the character, got it?) and he tried to twist it out of her hands. He swiped at her with his biological left paw. She ducked and he drew his right arm back. He swung his claws at her—but he stopped and howled in pain. Sean took another big swing. Mauler grabbed his sword. Sean took the initiative and shot Mauler in the cybernetic arm.

Mauler fell backward. His arm was not as strong as his hide. Sean swung the GT Sword in Mauler's face. Mauler snarled and growled while Sean took several big shrugged them off, typical of Wolvferine physiology. Maria surprised him, jumping on his back, throwing her arms around his neck and thrusting her dagger into his cybernetic shoulder. He let out a blood-curdling scream.

Aaron was just about done with the final post. He wound up, took a big swing and struck the post. It started to crackle with electricity, exploding in small places before falling to the ground. There was only one post standing, but there was no need to care. The force field would no doubt be gone and the hostages could escape. "Semper Fi," Rob said with a salute.

The hostages, surprised as they should be, warily got up and started to leave. "There's a police line to the east," said Aaron. The hostages thanked them as they walked away. Any Swabots left were gone. It wasn't long before they were all to the police line and safely away.

"Almost got it…" the bomb squad member assured Hitomi. She was getting impatient. She already had ten broken Swabots in front of her. Shouldn't this have been finished earlier? She looked behind and noticed Kevin was struggling with a Swabot. It grabbed his rifle and was trying to pry it out of his hands. She drew her bow again and let it fly. The arrow barely missed Kevin's head, but hit the Swabot's.

"Thanks," said Kevin. Hitomi nodded and Kevin shot another Swabot that came up behind him.

"This should do it," said the bomb squad member as he carefully removed something from the plastic explosives. "And… done!"

"What was it?" Hitomi asked.

"It wasn't your typical demolition," said the bomb squad member. "And it wasn't your typical demolition charges. This is C-4, enough to blow a crater in the road; they were going for total destruction."

"Wow," said Hitomi.

Mauler's Wolverine claws were difficult to handle. He had a tenacious attack, clawing at her left and right. Sean lay on the ground, victim of a massive swat from Mauler's left paw. Maria ducked, Mauler through his left paw. She bent backwards, then thrust her dagger in Mauler's face. Mauler caught her dagger with his claws. She thrust the other one in his face. She had the upper hand. Mauler was backing up, closer to the edge of the overpass.

Then Mauler took a big swipe with his Wolverine claws. No matter what your skill level is, when something like that happens, you're going to be caught off guard, and that's what happened to Maria. She lost her balance and fell down, now at Mauler's mercy. Mauler raised the claws up and despite the fact she was terrified, she didn't show under her helmet, a defiant look—

"GT  _STRRRIIIKE!_ " Mauler screamed as the energized GT Sword cut right through his mechanical arm. The arm fell off the over pass and Mauler fell to the side, revealing Sean in a post-attack stance. "Are you alright?" he asked out of true concern.

"I had him on the ropes," said Maria.

However, Mauler was not done. He still had a left arm, after all. "You colored bastards," he said. "I'LL KILL YOU!" He lunged at them, only to scream again.

"Don't even think about it!" Rob said, keeping his blaster raised. "Aaron!" Aaron wound up his axe and took a big cut.

"GAAH!" Mauler howled. He was about to go after Aaron, when he felt another blow.

"You mess with one of us," said Kevin, his rifle smoking.

"… You shall deal with all of us," Hitomi said, drawing her bow and firing.

"About time," said Sean. "Alright, let's finish this! Get your keys out!" They did so, and Rob look for a way to Supercharge his blaster. Eventually he found something on his phone to do the trick.

"You freaks," said Mauler. "WE'RE NOT DONE!"

"Don't listen to him," Sean said, twisting his AcceleKey. "Supercharge!" The GT Sword energized and he readied himself. The others did the same and awaited his command. "GT STRIKE!" He swung his sword, and the others struck, too. Mauler screamed, howled and fell to the ground and exploded.

"Ooh-Rah!" Rob shouted.

"Well, thank goodness that's over," Sean said, wiping the brow of his helmet.

"I know," said Kevin. "I was afraid I was going to run out of ammo."

"And Rob did well," said Aaron. "I won't say he was spectacular, though."

"Well, I guess Rob's getting used to this," said Sean. "Maybe in a few days he might—"

_KA-BOOM!_

The Rangers were knocked to the ground by the shockwave. It almost knocked one or two helmets off the stunned group. The rubble hit the pavement like rain. This could only be bad. Sean's ears were ringing and he picked himself up slowly. His HUD was going crazy. "Is everyone alright?" he asked.

"I think so," said Rob. "Ow."

"I think I love these suits," said Kevin, "One, two, three, all five."

"Stop counting fingers," Sean said, getting up and bracing himself on the barrier. "We need to find out—oh, no."

There was a massive hole in the west-bound lanes, like someone took a bite out of the overpass. Some of the rubble was cluttered on I-4, just barely missing the bomb squad guys, who looked very shaken. The "This is bad!" Sean bemoaned, "This bad, bad, bad! How could we miss that?"

"There must have been another bomb that we missed," said Rob.

"Hey! Why didn't you warn us?" Sean yelled to the bomb squad on the interstate.

"We tried!" said one. "We saw something on the barrier; you must not have heard us!"

"Damn!" said Sean. "Mauler must have planted a bomb there."

"You mean—" said Hitomi.

"We're fucked," Sean replied.

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

"I would like to thank you for coming," Marcus Schneider said as Daisuke sat down at the conference table. "I'm sorry you were so late. What happened?"

"There was a battle on the State Road 408 overpass over Interstate 4," said Daisuke. "I had to be redirected.'

"That is a shame," said Schneider. "I still take it you are willing to make a deal?"

"If we can reach one," said Daisuke. "Now you want to sell your products in our stores, is that correct?"

"Correct," said Schnieder. "How shall we go about this?"

"I wish to see the product you wish to sell," said Daisuke. "Will it fit with our stores' image? We have very specific guidelines."

"I have some right here," Schneider said as he took some products out. "I wonder what kind of battle could have occurred on the overpass," said Schneider.

"The area has been suffering alien attacks lately," said Daisuke, "Why are you so interested?"

"These  _Power Rangers_ ," said Schneider. "I don't understand them. They're just thugs and they're so foolish."

"That's what Ben Dreck's been saying," said Daisuke. "And how did you know who was on the bridge?"

"It was a guess," said Schneider. "And you mentioned Dreck, we sponsor him. Yes, I see that he's been looking in to them."

It was subtle, but Daisuke could tell Schneider was up to no good. On top of that, he began to realize Schneider looked just, like… "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," he said as he got up and left the room. Once out of earshot, he called up Hitomi. "Hitomi," he said. "I think Marcus Schneider is up to no good. I can't prove this, but… I suspect he may be Kalderon."

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:


	14. Tuxedos and Beer

Power Rangers GPX, episode 30: Tuxedos and Beer

:-:-:-:We're the best chance, for humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, let's go!:-:-:-:

"…  _Despite the damage caused to the SR 408 overpass yesterday, there are still two lanes available for traffic, and city, county and state officials are confident they can keep the overpass open while repairs are being made. And the city has also told us that they have enough money to pay for the bridge that won't come out of taxpayers' pockets, although they're not saying where the funds are from, and they hope to have the overpass repaired soon. However, despite that, there will be headaches for commuters for a while, and the Power Rangers are on the top of the list for the blame. For WESH 2 news, I—_ "

"Hey, I was watching that!" Tommy yelled after Sean changed the channel.

"Stop watching that crap, it's bad for you," said Sean.

"Sean's right," Rob said, ruffling Tommy's hair. "That stuff can make you crazy. Come on, let's watch 'iCarly'."

"NO!" Tommy screamed. "Anything but that!"

"I don't blame him," Sean muttered. "Nick is not what it used to be."

Rob rolled his eyes and changed the channel to ESPN, anyway. The Rangers were gathered in the Ranger house, recovering from yesterday. The Rangers' already bad reputation was getting even worse now. And then Tommy switched to the wrong station…

" _The extreme left is poised to take over our country_ ," said the pudgy Ben Dreck. " _And their plan includes faking an alien invasion, gaining our trust and then siccing their 'Power Ranger' servants on us. We have reason to believe that the Power Rangers are not the bright, colorful superheroes we see, but agents of a shadowy group. We're not sure who this group is, but let me tell you, they're bad. Part of this group includes… the United Nations._ "

"Sean, what's he talking about?"

" _Now, I know some of us as kids really liked superheroes, but here's the thing; these superheroes are not on our side. As we have seen, they have caused more property damage than the monsters they're fighting. I believe that they could turn on us at any time and subjugate our republic and impose a far-left—_ "

"FUCK YOU!" There followed the most awkward silence imaginable as soon as those words left Sean's mouth. Everyone was looking at him with their eyes wide and mouths open (even though it wasn't the first time Sean had ever cussed out-loud). "Sorry."

"Jeez Sean, what was that all about?" asked Rob.

"That Dreck guy," said Sean. "He really gets on my nerves. "Besides, he was talking in circles."

"You didn't have to use that word," said Maria, "Especially around Tommy."

"It's okay," said Tommy. "I've heard that word before."

"I don't even want to know where," said Rob. "Is there something you should be doing right now?"

"No," said Tommy, "Probably because you never signed me up for camp!"

"Rob…" Kevin groaned. Rob laughed sheepishly. He was about to say something else when they heard the door open. They looked to see Daisuke, wearing his suit, but carrying his jacket over his shoulder. He walked into the kitchen, looking very determined and discomforted, hanging the suit jacket onto a chair. Just one look in his eyes told Hitomi something was wrong.

"If it isn't Rich Boy," said Sean. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to speak to you," said Daisuke. "And I think he should leave," he pointed to Tommy.

"What?" asked Tommy. Rob walked up to him and handed him a ten dollar bill.

"Here's ten dollars," he said. "Go and get yourself something from the quick-ee mart." Tommy shrugged, taking the money and running out the door.

"He's only ten," said Daisuke. "Will he be alright?"

"He can handle himself," said Sean.

"And what about your brother-in-law?"

"Rob's one of us now, so he can stay," Sean replied. "So what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

"I wanted to discuss Marcus Schneider," said Daisuke.

"You mentioned that yesterday," said Sean. "This is a heck of charge, do you have any proof?"

"Other than the fact that the two look very similar, not quite," said Daisuke. "However, I have thought about some possibilities."

"Really?" said Maria. "What are these possibilities?"

"You know how my sister is obsessed with  _Sailor Moon_?" he asked.

"Unfortunately," Sean said, giving Hitomi a dirty look. She tried to play innocent.

"Kalderon resembles the character of Nephrite," said Daisuke, grabbing an orange juice from the fridge, "Among other possible similarities. In order to gain access to and get closer to his intended victims, Nephrite disguised himself as a human; a businessman named Masato Sanjouin." Sean's eyebrow tweaked.

"So you think that because of Kalderon's similarities to this guy from  _Sailor Moon,_ he's Marcus Schneider?" said Kevin. "That doesn't—"

"No, it makes perfect sense!" said Sean. "I don't understand why I didn't consider it before! I mean, I know Schneider was around before the Zordonians showed up, but his appearance here in Orlando means something's up."

"His behavior yesterday was also strange," said Daisuke. "And he's been sponsoring Ben Dreck's show, although I take—"

"I don't watch his show," said Sean. "So—wait, if Kalderon is Schneider, then—oh, no!"

"He's been behind our unpopularity?" said Aaron, "Can't say I'm too surprised."

"So what do you suggest we do?" said Sean.

"Before our meeting ended yesterday, Schneider invited me to a party he's hosting at a hotel," said Daisuke. "I'm afraid I can't make it on the account that I'm ' _busy'_."

"So then who's going?" said Sean.

"Do you still have that tuxedo from your Independence Day party?" asked Daisuke.

"At the US Embassy in Tokyo?" asked Sean, "Yeah, why? Oh, you gotta be kidding me."

"Sean in a tux?" said Rob. "I thought I'd never see the day."

"And I had an extra invitation," said Daisuke. "Ms. Aparicio, do you still have your dress?"

" _Que!?_ "

"This is getting interesting," said Rob.

"At least I don't have to suffer alone," said Sean.

"Shut up," Maria shot back.

"Enough with this domestic squabble," said Daisuke.

" _WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'DOMESTIC'!?_ " Sean and Maria shouted.

"Look, I need you two to spy on Schneider," said Daisuke. "And if you two are arguing like an old married couple—"

"What did you just say!?" Maria growled.

"I said if you two could quit arguing, we could discuss our plans!" Daisuke growled. "I need you two to get into his party, ask a few questions and that's it!"

"Could you two lo—sorry, could you just suck it in?" said Aaron. "And where's Hitomi?"

"I think she walked out," said Daisuke. "We should talk to the UN and SWORD about this plan. They'll know what we can use."

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

"So now," Maelstrom said the next day as he visited the house. "You want to do some spying? I hope you know it's not just tuxedos and martinis."

"In this case it is," said Daisuke.

"Well then," said Maelstrom. "In any case, we have some gadgets for you to use." He took out some tools. "These look like ordinary earrings, but they're not. They're small wireless microphones. They transmit into this small radio here. It's small enough to fit in someone's ear and can be taken out easily."

"Is this stuff even possible?" Kevin asked, taking a look at the gear.

"O'Donnell, James Bond was more accurate than you think," said Maelstrom, "Especially when you look at my agency."

"So what else?" said Sean.

"We already know who's going to wear the earrings," said Maelstrom. "We'll have two undercover agents for support; one inside the part, one positioned as a bouncer, so if things go wrong, we can get you out. I don't expect things to go wrong, but I've done work in Serbia, so I expect anything."

"And what if a monster attacks?" asked Sean.

"You Rangers can hold it off, right?" asked Maelstrom.

"Of course," said Kevin. "We're not sure about our numbers below 5, though."

"The Silver Ranger suit is strong, even with an unskilled fighter," he looked at Rob, who whistled nonchalantly. "Miyazawa will put your names on the guest list, so you won't have to say anything to the bouncer, understood?"

"Got it," said Sean.

"And take your morphers with you, just in case," said Maelstrom, "Although that's an obvious one, given your line of work."

"Bingo," said Sean.

"And remember, you two are supposed to be on a date," said Maelstrom. "And I don't want to hear any dumb-ass excuses from either of you, got it?" Spoken like a true Samuel L. Jackson character!

" _Yes, sir_ ," they said weakly.

"Good," said Maelstrom. "You're dismissed; Happy hunting." He walked out, and the Rangers were left to examine their new gear.

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

"You know, you actually look good," said Rob while he helped Sean with the tuxedo. Sean's scowl was enough to slaughter a battalion. "Come on, you've worn this before, it's not that bad."

"That was different," said Sean.

"Look, quit whining," said Rob, "If you want, you don't have to think of it as a date, it's a mission to save the world."

"Fine," said Sean. He fumbled with his bowtie until Rob fixed it for him. Everything else was easy. "Spying in a tux isn't the part, I hate though. In fact, I relish the chance to be James Bond! It's just… Could you not tease me about Maria?"

"What, you like her, don't you?"

"Not in that way," said Sean.

 _Riiight_ , Rob thought.

"Alright, do I look like James Bond?" Sean asked.

"Well, not quite," said Rob. "But you've got the right get-up.

"Fine," said Sean.

"Did you shower?"

"Yes."

"Did you shave?"

"Yes."

"Did you put on—"

"What are you, my mother?"

"Sorry, just checking," said Rob. "Alright, give 'em hell!"

"Thanks," Sean said as he attached a red carnation to his jacket while Rob whistled "Sharp Dressed Man".

Rob escorted Sean downstairs where they would wait for Maria, who was still getting ready. "Why does it always take so long for women to get ready?" Sean muttered.

"Don't say that out loud," said Rob.

"Okay!" Maria's voice called. "I'm ready!"

They turned to see Maria and—holy schnikies. She came down, dressed in a yellow sleeveless  _qi pao_  with a dragon print on it, her hair tied up in a bun  _holy crap, she's gorgeous_! Yeah, those were Sean's thoughts, alright. Maria flashed a little smirk as if she knew she knocked 'em dead.

"Ready?" she asked, snapping Sean out of his little shock.

"Um, yeah," he said as he held out his elbow for her to take. "You guys are gonna be support, right?"

"Well, I have to stay at my house for now," said Rob. "But Bridge is running out of tampons, so I have an exc—I mean, reason to leave if there are any emergencies."

"I hope so," said Sean. "Alright, are you ready?"

"Of course I am," she replied. " _Vamos!_ "

"Alright!" Sean said as they left.

"Good night!" Kevin called out. "Don't forget to forget to bring her back before 9 o'clock!"

"And don't be too shy, now!" Aaron called back. The two replied with a middle finger from each as they headed to the waiting limo.

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

"Hometown, this is wayward son," said one of the SWORD agents. "Package is on its route; Waiting for mailman."

They were waiting outside the Grand Bohemian Hotel in downtown, one of the ritziest hotels in the city. Oh yeah, Schneider's paying the big bucks. Orlando's high society was here tonight; A few actors, maybe a golf legend (not Tiger Woods) or two. Anyways, it was a high-to-do high-class event. There's a reason Daisuke got an invite to this little event.

The limo Sean and Maria were coming in drove up to the curb. The valet man opened the door and Maria stepped out, followed by Sean. "Wow," said Sean, "Rich Boy wasn't kidding."

" _Ay dios mio_ ," she said, taking his arm.

"Package has been delivered," the SWORD agent said from the support truck.

Sean and Maria walked past the press on the red carpet, up to the front door. The door man pulled the door open and the two entered. They were on their own now. The lobby was filled with people, and they were lead along to the elevator to take them to the second floor.

They came out and followed the line where the bouncer, presumably the SWORD agent, was waiting for them. "Names?"

"Sean O'Callahan and Maria Aparicio," said Sean. The bouncer nodded and let them in.

"The package has been received," he said.

The place was filled with so many people in formal attire. These were captains of industry, what would a year later be known as the "1%". And they were flaunting their wealth so much it was making the 99-percenters Sean and Maria a little nauseous. A band was playing a light jazzy number in the corner.

"Come, please," said the attendant. "Please sit here." He led them to a table where Maria sat first and Sean second. Their dinner company was pretty interesting. They were obviously older than them and…

"Mayor Dyer?" asked Sean.

"Yes?" said the Mayor.

"Um, I was just wondering why someone like you, a Democrat, would be here," he replied.

"Well, I was invited," said Mayor Dyer. "I wasn't too sure, but I decided that since Mr. Schneider's here to help the economy… and why are you here? You don't look like you're on the guest list."

"We are," said Maria. "We're here on behalf of Daisuke Miayazawa."

"Oh, I see," said Mayor Dyer.

"One minute here and we're already fucking up!" Maria whispered panicked.

"Just stay calm!" said Sean.

"So, what are your names?" asked one of the 1-percent women there.

"Sean O'Callahan."

"Maria Juanita Aparicio Rodriguez, or just Maria Aparicio."

"I'm from Chicago."

"And I'm from Caracas."

"Oh, I see," said the 1-percent woman. "And what do you do?"

"We're college students," said Sean. "I go to the University of Illinois at Chicago."

"And I go to the University of Rio de Janeiro."

"And what do your parents do?" asked the woman.

"My dad is a Chicago cop, but was born in Ireland," said Sean, "And my mom works in downtown Chicago, although she'll never make nearly as much money as you do."

"My mother lives in Brazil, as a Spanish teacher," said Maria, "My father was the station manager for a station critical of Chavez… until the government refused to renew their broadcasting license."

"Oh, that's too bad," said the woman. "I have business partners who worked in Venezuela."

"I don't want your damn pity," Maria growled.

"Maria, calm down," said Sean. Mr. Hot Blooded himself is asking someone to calm down? Wow!

"Sorry," said Maria. "I'm an exile, not some political prisoner."

"Bad comparison," said Sean.

"It just popped into my head," said Maria.

"So, what is this about Hugo Chavez?" A very familiar German accent sounded. The two were startled and looked up to see Schneider himself standing over them. "Mayor Dyer, I'm glad you could make it."

"So am I," said Dyer.

"And what are you two doing here?" asked Schneider.

"We're here on behalf of Daisuke Miyazawa," said Sean.

"Oh, well, in that case, make yourselves comfortable," said Schneider. "I'll be holding a toast later, so the champagne is on me."

"Apparently he can afford to do that," said Sean.

"Remember, this is a party I want everyone to have a good time," said Schneider, "Especially you two." The two felt their stomachs tighten; fearing that if this was indeed Kalderon, that might have been a threat.

"Sure," said Sean.

"Relax, Mr. O'Callahan," said the rich woman.

"Easy for you to say," said Maria.

"I understand their nervousness," said Mayor Dyer. "Just think of this like your prom, Mr. O'Callahan."

"I didn't go to prom," said Sean, "Couldn't get a date."

"Because you were, and still are, obsessed with hockey," said Maria.

"Hey, shaddap!" Sean snapped.

"Anyway, it is nice to see you, Mayor Dyer," said the rich woman. "I assume governing must be difficult, what with all the fighting going on." This got Sean and Maria's attention.

"Ah, yes, the bridge explosion," said Mayor Dyer. "I was thankful we got the money to pay for it, but these Power Ranger battles are so stressful. If only they'd be more careful."

The two Power Rangers at the table gulped. "What do you two think about the Power Rangers?" asked the rich woman.

"Well, I'm not sure," said Sean. "I liked the TV show when I was a kid, but I don't know enough about the Power Rangers here to have an opinion."

"Same," said Maria. "We just got here."

"I see," said Mayor Dyer. "You two are the only neutral people I've met. I've noticed there does not seem to be a middle ground in their opinions. They either love them or hate them." Sean and Maria would have reacted if they weren't acting so well.

"Mayor Dyer, I think I can say something," said Sean. "These people hate the Power Rangers for causing so much damage. Yet in comic books, superhero battles always cause property damage. It's sort of an accepted hazard."

"I see," said Mayor Dyer. Their conversation was ended when Schneider tapped on his glass and gave a little speech thanking the guests for coming.

After that, dinner was served and the conversation got a little more casual. Sean got into his typical hockey spiel and caused an awkward moment when he told of, in twisted nd vivid detail, what it's like to punch another player into submission before Maria had to stop him.

Maria got up and walked over to Schneider. Now, before they got there, they'd planned out what they were going to do while they were in the limo, so Sean knew that Maria was get up and ask Schneider to dance. It's a little straightforward.

"Why yes, I would like to dance," he heard in his ear radio.

"You're awful straightforward, aren't you?" asked Schneider.

"It's a good skill," said Maria.

"Very well then," Schneider said as he took her hand. Sean watched with skepticism.

"Do you want something to drink, sir?"

"Martini, shaken, not stirred," he said. The waiter nodded his head and walked off, coming back with his martini. Sean took a sip and…

Spat it out. "Guess I don't like martinis," he said. "Just get me a beer. PBR, Bud, I don't care!" The waiter walked away and came back with a bottle of PBR while Sean watched Maria and Schneider dancing.

"I'm sorry you had to be exiled," said Schneider. "That Chavez is such a detriment to my business."

"I don't care about that," said Maria. "He's ruining my country and he ruined my father."

"That's too bad," Schneider said while dipping her.

"So what do you think about the Power Rangers?" Maria asked, subtly going in for the kill.

"Well, I understand they cause so much damage," said Schneider. "They just seem so… dangerous."

"I disagree," said Maria. "All superheroes cause damage. It's usually not their fault, though."

"You think so?" asked Schneider.

"I've read enough comic books," said Maria.

"I see," said Schneider. "I think that they need to be more careful."

Sean flexed his fingers. If he is Kalderon, he's a good actor. She'd better start pressing him more, otherwise they're not going to get anything.

" _Wait, what was that? A monster attacking near the Citrus Bowl? Get on it, we'll alert the Mayor!_ " Oh, crap! Sure enough, he heard the mayor's phone ring.

"Yes, what is it?... Near the Citrus Bowl? The situation is under control… alright, I hope you've got things… oh, I see. Very well."

"Who was that, Mr. Mayor?" asked the rich woman.

"The police," said Mayor Dyer. "They don't want us to panic, so they'll contain the threat there."

"I hope they know what they're doing," said the rich woman.

 _Never count out the Power Rangers_ , Sean thought.  _Keep it away from the hotel guys, we need this information_.

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

" _GPX, START IT UP!_ " The Rangers morphed and attacked the monster, named Wendigo. It looked like the cannibalistic creature of legend, with a deer skull helmet, glowing red eyes and blood covering its claws. A wounded police officer was lying at its feet.

The Rangers attacked. Kevin went first, throwing a wicked right hook at the Wendigo. The creature howled and let the officer go. They beat it back more to let the first responders get the wounded officer out of the way. Hitomi summoned her bow and let off a couple of shots. The Wendigo howled in pain… and pulled the arrow out of its body.

"This is bad," said Rob.

"Just keep that thing away from downtown!" said one police officer.

"Easier said than done!" Kevin said as he pulled out his rifle.

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

" _Rangers have engaged the enemy_ ," Sean heard in his earpiece.

"They've got the situation under control," said the Mayor. Sean let out a sigh of relief. It looked like things weren't going to hell after all. "Mr. O'Callahan, what's wrong?"

"Oh, um, it's nothing," Sean lied.

"I think he was looking at that young woman," said the rich woman. "Is she your—"

"SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" He shouted before slamming his hand over his mouth. Some of the other party-goers were looking at him, but they went back to their dinner. "Sorry." The rich woman didn't bother saying anything else.

"What was that?" asked Schneider.

"Oh, nothing," said Maria. "So you're sponsoring Ben Dreck? You do know he's insane, don't you?"

"He's interesting to say the least," said Schneider. "But I just want to get my message across."

"And what is that?"

"My, you're persistent," said Schneider. "Just like those Power Rangers." Sean raised his eyebrows.

"Persistence is a virtue," said Maria.

"I see," said Schneider. Sean sighed. Good recovery. Now, go for the kill!

"Your advertising and Dreck's smears against the Power Rangers lead me to believe you're behind them," said Maria.

"Of course not," replied Schneider. "I don't control what Dreck says. I may have said I was concerned about them, but nothing's wrong with being concerned, is there?"

 _YES!_ Sean thought. It's about as close to a confession as they'll get.

"No," said Maria. "I was just asking. Have you seen the leader of the aliens who are attacking?"

"Yes, I have," said Schneider. "He looks like me, does he not?"

"I wonder why," Maria said stone-faced. "My friend really likes  _Sailor Moon_. In that, an enemy disguises himself as a businessman to get closer to his intended victims. This alien looks like that character."

"I don't watch Japanese cartoons," said Schneider, "So I am unaware of what you are talking about."

"That's fine," said Maria. "One other thing; the character uses a name with the initials M.S."

_Don't fuck it up, don't fuck it up, don't fuck it up!_

"A coincidence," said Schneider. Sean sighed. "I'm sorry, but I must leave. My bodyguards want me to leave."

"Fine," she said as he let go of her. He kissed her hand.

" _Danke_ ," he said. Sean snarled for some reason. But now that Schneider was leaving, it gave them a chance to get back to their teammates. He waited until Maria came back to the table.

"I'm tired," she said. "Let's leave."

"Sure," Sean said as he got up. "Mr. Mayor, Mrs. Vanderbilt, it was a pleasure."

"It was a pleasure," said the rich woman. "You are a very interesting young man."

"It's great to see young people with such passion," Mayor Dyer said as they left.

"The others are fighting a monster near the Citrus Bowl," said Sean, "We need to get there ASAP." It wasn't just to Maria; it was to the other agents.

" _The limo will get you there_ ," said the agent on the other end of the line.

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

The Wendigo had Kevin literally by the throat and threw him against a squad car. He tried to get the claws off his neck, but it was no use. The Wendigo growled in his face. Then, it howled in pain. Rob had slashed it with his Silver Sword. The Wendigo swatted at Rob. He ducked and shot the Wendigo. Kevin got out of the way and Aaron threw a mighty punch at the Wendigo.

Then Hitomi got in on the act, shooting the Wendigo with another arrow. The Wendigo charged her, but not before getting punched in the gut by Rob. Kevin grabbed the monster and threw it to the ground. It got back up and opened its jaws wide as if ready to bite. Rob shot the Wendigo in the mouth. It stumbled backwards, clearly in pain and getting even angrier.

It growled. This was a mindless beast… kinda. There seemed to be some kind of intelligence in that beast. It was not the Wendigo from legend; in legend, Wendigos are created when someone tastes human flesh. This one was created by the Zordonians. The Wendigo charged, lowered its head and bowled Kevin, Rob and Aaron over. It just missed Hitomi. It tried to stomp on Rob. He grabbed the monster's foot.

Kevin and Aaron got up and charged the monster, but it swatted them away. It was getting the upper hand now. Hitomi fired another arrow. The creature shrugged it off. Now things were looking—

" _GPX, START IT UP!_ " Two figures kicked the Wendigo in the head.

"It's about time!" said Kevin.

"We were having fun," said Sean. "What's the situation?"

"We had him, but he's got us now," said Rob.

"It's time to finish this," said Sean. "Get your keys out, we need to supercharge!" They got their AcceleKeys and Octane Blasters out. However, the Wendigo got smart and attacked them while they were vulnerable. "Damn! For beast, he sure is smart!" He let off a couple of shots. Maria took the opportunity to summon her daggers and throw them at the Wendigo. She gave the Wendigo a nasty kick to the jaw that left it dazed. "Great, now!" They jammed their keys into the blasters and weapons and took aim. "FIRE!" They let off their attacks.

The Wendigo howled and fell to the ground in a massive explosion. It looked done, but it's never as clear-cut as things look in Power Rangers.

Right on cue, the Wendigo began to grow into a giant, towering over the city. The Rangers were unfazed. "We need the Grand Prix Zords, now!"

The Zords appeared, and so did a silver jet-like craft. It must be Rob's zord. The cars fired their wires and kept the Wendigo in place.

Just moments later, the Rangers jumped on top of their Grand Prix Zords. Sean drove the GT Racer, Kevin in the Touring Racer, Aaron in the Mountain Hauler, Maria in the Haz Runner and Hitomi in the Am Chaser. They jammed their AcceleKeys in the dashboards and activated the Grand Prix Megazord docking sequence. They did keep the Wendigo in place, though.

At the same time, Rob jumped into his jet zord, appropriately called "Silver Bullet". "Silver Bullet transformation sequence, begin!" He inserted his morpher into the controls and pulled a lever. The zord began to change and turned into a giant robot, much like the Veritechs from "Robotech".

The Touring Racer split in two and hooked up with the Mountain Hauler, becoming the arms and body, respectively. The Haz Runner and Am Chaser joined with the Mountain Hauler, becoming the legs. The GT Racer rolled up into the Hauler's trick bed and docked. The lights at the top of the cab retracted, folded back and the megazord fired several jets and up righted itself. The head was exposed and the megazord was upright, online and ready to go.

The Grand Prix Megazord and Silver Bullet reached the lot that surrounded Route 423. The Wendigo's eyes lit up the night sky as it charged the Grand Prix Megazord. The megazord threw a wicked punch. The Wendigo stumbled backwards. The Silver Bullet pulled out its blaster… and couldn't aim right. "How do you pilot this thing!?" Rob shouted.

"Isn't there a manual?" Sean replied from his IndyCar pod.

"Um, no," said Rob, "Just two joysticks."

"Can someone teach my brother-in-law how to fly that thing?" Sean shouted as the megazord threw a left hook at the Wendigo.

" _I'll do it!_ " said one SWORD agent. The Rangers could hear his chatter with Rob over the radio as he instructed Rob how to use the controls.

In the meantime, the Grand Prix Megazord and the Wendigo were locked in combat. It gave the Wendigo an upper-cut in the chin. The Wendigo slashed its claws at the megazord. Not a scratch. It punched the megazord. That worked. The megazord retaliated, kicking it in the shin. The Wendigo reacted, but did not fall down.

Then the Silver Bullet took aim again. Rob checked the targeting computer. Locked on. He pulled the trigger.

The rifle let off a burst of fire. The Wendigo bellowed as it fell backwards from the megazord. "YES!" Rob shouted.

"Let's finish this! Grand Prix Megazord Saber!" The sword materialized in the megazord's hand. "Fire the rockets!" Rockets fired under the megazord's feet.

" _Grand Prix Megazord Strike! Go!_ " The megazord launched forward and slashed at the Wendigo. It bellowed as the megazord stopped and posed in victory. The Wendigo bellowed and fell to the ground, exploding.

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

" _Kalderon, the Rangers appear to be catching on to your act,_ " said Eltar. " _Do you have any back-up plans?_ "

"Yes, I do," said Kalderon.

" _How do I know you're lying?_ " said Eltar. " _Emperor Rashon is very displeased right now._ "

"My apologies," said Kalderon. "I  _will_ —"

" _Will, what? You keep saying that, soon apologies will not mean a thing! You need to get your act together soon!_ "

:-:-:-:Power Rangers GPX:-:-:-:

"So did you two have a good time?" Rob teased.

"Shut it," said Sean. He had just gotten out of his tuxedo and was taking off the shirt, exposing his white undershirt. "We did get a little bit of information, though."

"Yeah?" said Rob.

"It looks like Schneider is behind Dreck's anti-Ranger rhetoric," said Sean. "We can't conclude that Schneider is Kalderon, but we're close to finding out."

"Looks like things are going to get interesting," said Rob, "A lot more interesting."

:-:-:-:PRGPX:-:-:-:

End chapter


	15. Prelude To Invasion

Power Rangers GPX, episode 31: Prelude to Invasion

:-:-:-:We're the best chance for humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, let's go!:-:-:-:

It began with another Central Florida afternoon thunderstorm. A gloomy day was the perfect way to start the beginning of the end.

The Rangers were cooped up with nothing to do and no one to fight. Instead, they took the opportunity to rest and relax. There was no way Kalderon would attack on a day like today. He almost never attacked on these days, anyway. It was usually a waste of time for him, so they didn't have to worry.

Rob and Cassie were over, and so was Tommy. He played some video games with Sean, Maria and Aaron. It was mostly  _Mario Kart_ and the likes, Sean dominated the hockey games. It wasn't much fun when you have a guy obsessed with hockey rubbing it in everyone's face how awesome he was at this game.

Tommy was angry because Sean had stolen Mario from him, so when he picked Bowser he decided to try and run his older brother off the track. Unfortunately, he missed and his green shell hit Aaron. Aaron glared at Tommy, angry that he'd broken their alliance while Sean cruised past the both of them on his way to victory. Maria came in second, charging furiously to try and catch him in the end.

Hitomi, being neutral (but more on Sean's side) applauded the fine racing when she noticed Sean's iPhone was ringing. Sean was busy arguing with Tommy over who was going to pick Mario (in the end Sean got Mario again) and Tommy had to pick Wario. Hitomi tried to get Sean's attention, but it looked important, so she picked it up and answered it. " _Hai, moshi-moshi_ ," she said. She paused and then tapped Sean on his shoulder. "It's for you," she said.

Sean reflexively grabbed his phone and tried to talk. "Hello? Yeah, that's me, who…" he paused the game, which earned groans from Tommy and Aaron. However, he silenced them both. "Yeah, I applied, why—oh, jeez I forgot! Can I still—oh, okay. So, I'm still registered, right? " Everyone else looked at him in confusion, even Rob. "So, I can just sign up online, right? What about my housing? Oh, okay. Thanks, anyways. And what about the uh, scholarship? WALK-ON!? Oh, you gotta be kidding me. Alright, I'll get right on it. Bye."

"Who was that?" asked Maria.

"University of Wisconsin admissions," Sean replied. Everyone else stayed silent.

"So… what does this mean?"

"I applied to transfer to UW-Madison in March," said Sean. "I wanted to play hockey for them and I got in, but I forgot to sign up for my classes. Goddammit!"

"So, what were you talking about?" asked Maria.

"I have to sign up for my classes and find a place to live in Madison," said Sean. "And I'll have to walk-on for the hockey team, FUCK!"

"Don't use that word in front of Tommy!" said Rob.

"Are you kidding? He watches R-rated movies, for Pete's sake!" Sean replied. "I need to go and register for my classes." He walked away from the video games. Tommy, being a ten-year-old, restarted the game and raced to victory while everyone else just sat there in silence.

"Why didn't he tell us?" said Maria.

"Maybe he just forgot," said Rob. "I already knew he—"

"You KNEW!?" said Maria. "And you're going to let him abandon us!?"

"HEY!" Rob shouted. "Don't you dare say anything like that! I've already seen how much you mean to him, he's probably thinking of ways to get you to Madison!"

"How do you know that?" said Aaron. "Are you going to follow him?"

"If we have to, yes," said Rob. "Bridget knows some people up there who can get her a job on the spot, and don't even think about telling Sean that he doesn't care about you!"

"But we were just settling in here!" said Maria.

"Maria, of all the people I'd expect to be mad at Sean… oh, never mind." Maria didn't know what he was talking about. And he wasn't going to say why. "Still, you guys should forgive Sean."

"Why?" asked Aaron. "Why should we?"

"Like I said, perhaps he forgot," said Rob. "You guys have been so busy it could have just slipped his mind."

"And what happens if we don't?" said Aaron. "Kevin, did you know?"

Kevin looked at Aaron for a second. "No," he said.

"If he doesn't tell Kevin, why should we—"

"I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt!" said Kevin. "If I have to, I'll apply to the University of Wisconsin as a graduate student."

Rob looked at Aaron and Maria as if to say "I told you so". Aaron stubbornly went back to his video game. Rob sighed, shaking his head and went back to his iPhone. A quick check of the time told him it was time to go back to his and Bridget's house. "If you're not happy about moving, don't worry," he said. "In fact, I'd be willing to move to Madison. Bridge knows some people who can get her a job in no time."

They stayed silent. Rob gestured to Tommy and told him it was time to leave. Tommy was not happy, throwing the controller on the seat. A face from Rob shamed him instantly. He grabbed his raincoat and followed Rob out of the house right as Sean was coming downstairs. "Hey Sean," said Rob, "I think you need to tell them you're sorry."

"Okay," said Sean.

"You know, if you need us, we'll be willing to move," said Rob. Sean sighed and walked back into the kitchen.

"Okay guys, I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he said. "I just forgot, so I'm really sorry about that."

"It's okay," said Kevin. The others didn't say anything else.

"Kevin, I thought you'd be angrier," said Sean. Kevin shook his head, sighed and turned away. Sean laughed and grabbed some water from the fridge and went upstairs to go and continue registering for classes.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

"Kalderon, your plans have FAILED!" Liaria bellowed at the general. She stood in her lover's suite on their ship. The Nephrite look-alike seethed in silent fury at her. "Even the Dreck plan is failing; they're not falling for it anymore! Even with the damage that has been done, public opinion is still on their side!"

"Silence, Liaria!" he snapped. "Do not doubt me again!"

"You were always the least effective of Rashon's generals," Liaria replied. He was this close to striking her out of anger. "Unless you can think of some way to defeat the Rangers, you will be relieved of your duty!"

"And do you have proof?" Kalderon replied, "Or are you just releasing your anger at me?"

"I am releasing my anger," she replied. He scoffed.

"Then do not doubt me, woman!" he replied. However, his face betrayed his desperation. Weeks of defeats at the hands of the GPX Rangers were taking their toll. He could not rely on Marcus Schneider anymore. He had to defeat the Rangers  _now_.

… Even if it meant leveling that entire blasted city.

That was not the case now, but if he had to, he will destroy Orlando.

"I have already formulated my endgame," he said. "First, I will cause a massive rift between the GPX and Flash Rangers. Then…"

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

The Central Florida storm had gone. It was replaced by a cloudless, humid and hot summer day. Late July in Florida is a swampy, muggy place. It's actually not much different from Carbondale, Illinois, another city where the Rangers are operating in a separate universe.

The Rangers themselves were sitting on the Echo Lake shore, having some ice cream. It especially made the day better. Even Rob—who is still unemployed—was with them. No, Allie and Cassie were not. They were in daycare and Tommy was with Bridget at the Disney World main offices. By the way, the Rangers have not been to Disney World yet (and will not go in this particular story).

"Oh, this is so good," Sean said while gulping down some ice cream. Can't wait to get to Madison."

"You don't have to talk about it so much," said Aaron.

"Hey come on!" said Sean. "What's up with you guys, you've been acting weird!" None of them replied, simply staying silent. Sean looked at Rob. "I apologized," he said.

Rob could only shrug in response. Sean shook his head and went back to his ice cream, completely oblivious to his teammates' anger. "Are you going to Madison?" asked Maria.

"Of course," said Sean. "Why—"

"GPX Rangers!" Their conversation interrupted, they looked over to the alien-dressed familiar group of rival Rangers, the Flash Rangers.

"What do you guys what?" asked Sean.

Jon, the Red Flash Ranger, walked up to Sean. His blond hair shone in the summer sun. His shadow covered Sean, who seemed pretty annoyed that he was creating a shade he didn't want. "Do you actually think you can defeat Kalderon?"

Sean looked around. At least this time the others were not angry with him, only at the Flash guy. "Um, yeah," he said. "Why?"

"Do we have to reiterate?" asked Jon.

"You've been reiterating for a while," said Sean. "We kinda stopped listening."

"Sean, forget about these  _idiotas_  and eat your ice cream," said Maria.

"Can't argue with her," said Sean. "Besides, we have reason to believe he's moonlighting as Marcus Schneider. We're going to find a great time to basically humiliate the guy and expose him as Schneider. If not, we'll find a way."

"Your credibility has already—"

"Hey, we already know!" said Sean. "Did you have to rub it in?"

"Listen, Terran," Jon said while grabbing Sean and lifting him up. He was strong! He almost lifted Sean off his feet! "You are unaware of what you have done! Kalderon is desperate, he may launch a full-on assault on this entire city, all because of you!"

"And how do you know this?" said Sean. "Let me guess, some fairy told you?"

"Are you mocking us?" asked the Pink Flash Ranger.

"Of course he is!" said Maria. "Give us your proof!"

"Why must we take orders from a woman who has worn nothing but paint!" said the Yellow Flash Ranger.

"At least I'm in touch with who I am!" Maria replied.

"Enough!" Rob said, getting up and separating the two Ranger teams. "Let's not fight! We have a common enemy after all, what if our disagreement helps them out?"

"I think Rob has a point," said Sean. "How about we work together?"

"With you?" Jon laughed right in Sean's face. "No."

"Why not?"

"You don't understand your situation or ours," Jon replied.

"Then why can't we bond over our mutual hate of the Zordonians?" asked Sean.

"Leave us be," said Jon. He pushed Sean off and walked away. Sean flipped him off, leading the others away from the scene. Maria stayed, but walked away with them. Those Flash Rangers were so stubborn.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

When Tirna materialized in Kalderon's chambers, the general was surprised to see all the preparations going on. Thousands of Swabots could be seen on the screen, tipping the general off to the potential for a massive invasion. Kalderon and Gargotron were huddled together, planning out their attack.

"Kalderon!" said Tirna. Kalderon ignored the other general, preferring to keep looking at the plans. "What are you planning here?"

"None of your business," said Kalderon, "But if you must know, I intend to show the Rangers just what kind of power we have."

"With Gargotron?"

"He is part of that strategy," said Kalderon. "But for now, we will just send an ordinary monster."

"Really?" said Tirna. "When?"

Kalderon checked the time. "In one Earth hour," he said. "The Flash and GPX Rangers will be divided so badly they will turn against each other."

"I like this already," said Tirna. "I may have to watch."

"It will work," said Kalderon. Tirna could hear desperation on that voice. Tirna did not want to hear that desperation. Against the general's own interests, Tirna began to plot.

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

"So, you have a new suit in the works?" Sean asked, looking at a Skype screen of Maelstrom and Col. Greene.

"Of course," said Col. Greene. "We have evidence the Zordonians are on the move. We're going to have a new faster and stronger suit that can handle large crowds of Swabots."

"But we just got a new one," said Sean.

"That was a placeholder suit," said Maelstrom. "We think you'll like these new ones better."

"Yeah, sure," said Sean. "Anything else?"

"We got nothing," said Maelstrom. "None of our agents have reported on anything substantial besides that movement by the Zordonians. Judging by that, we think they're preparing for an offensive."

"Damn," Sean muttered. The others listened intently. "What are we looking at?"

"Hundreds, maybe thousands of Swabots," said Col. Greene. "We don't know what they're planning to do with them, though. Pretty much all of the territories they captured have been re-captured by now, so they may be focusing on beating you guys."

"Well that's nice," said Sean.

"I would rather not deal with them," said Aaron.

"Hey come on, we could handle them!" said Sean. "The Army and National Guard will have to deal with most of them, but we could take it!" He got up and walked over to them. He seemed pretty confident. "We're the fucking Power Rangers, after all!"

"You sound so confident," said Aaron.

"And when did you turn into our resident pessimist?" asked Sean. "We just heard about that other universe team; we know they're up against some rough shit in Carbondale, but hey! They're still going, after all!"

"I suppose he's right," said Maria. Sean smiled and patted her on the shoulder. Kevin looked up from the book he was reading and shook his head. It was Sean, alright. Perhaps in his case ignorance  _was_ bliss. "Their situation seems a little more hopeless than ours. Here, we've got the Zordonians on the run!"

"Does that mean they might go away if we beat another general?" asked Hitomi.

"That I'm not certain of," said Sean. "Perhaps if we pulled some  _Doctor Who_ shit, invoking the rites of combat and forcing them to go away, perhaps that might work."

"I'm willing to try anything," said Maria.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

"Suppose they  _do_ invoke the rights of combat," Tirna said while Kalderon positioned his Swabots. "What happens then?"

"They never will," said Kalderon. "That  _Doctor Who_ as it's called got lucky. There's no evidence they truly understand the rites of galactic combat. GARGOTRON!"

"Yes, Kalderon!"

"Begin the attack! This will soften up this city and then…"

"Yes, General!" Gargotron nodded and bowed, ordering several Swabots with him. Tirna's eyebrow raised at how well-coordinated they seemed to be. That was when the general got a look at Kalderon; a face of anger and madness. This Kalderon was different. He was desperate and angry.

The Rangers would not stand a chance.

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

"We got a hit!" Sean said, looking at his laptop screen again. "Downtown, near the SunLife Building!"

"How many?" Kevin asked while putting on his black leather jacket.

"Looks like about a hundred Swabots and another big robot," said Sean. He grabbed his black leather jacket too. Excitement filled the Rangers. They weren't sure why, though. Perhaps now it looked like this mission in Orlando was finally going to end. Of course, the excitement was mainly on Sean's end. A bit of apprehension was on the other Rangers' faces, but as soon as they were out the door and on their way, said apprehension was replaced by determination.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

About fifteen minutes later, the team arrived (along with Rob) to find downtown swarmed with hundreds of Swabots. This was no time to fight unmorphed. "READY!?" Sean shouted.

" _READY!_ "

" _GPX, START IT UP!_ "

A flash of colored lights later and the Rangers had morphed, rushing the Swabot armada to take them down.

Sean flipped over a car, landing amongst several robots. He blocked an attack and then kicked the robot in the gut. He side kicked another, knocking it into a group of robots. He grabbed another and dragged it on the ground, tossing it in the air, pulled out his blaster and shot it. The robot's many pieces collided with the other Swabots that were gathered around. Another Swabot grabbed him from behind, but he tossed the Swabot to the ground, stomping on its head.

As the Swabots swarmed Kevin, he bent down and rammed into one. He began to wrestle it and then lifted it up, tossing it and grabbing its ankles before swinging it like a club and damaging more Swabots. When he released it he blocked the attacks of two more Swabots that had rushed in and he brought them together, smashing their heads in. He grabbed another Swabot and pulled it to the ground, then kicked another one that had come in to fight him.

Meanwhile, Aaron had been going  _Parkour_ on the Swabots, jumping around the robots. Unable to jump, the Swabots were helpless to defend themselves while Aaron took them out one at a time. He kicked a Swabot's head off, and then punched another one right in the face, smashing its head. He crouched down and swept several Swabots off their feet, then got back up and threw a punch at the Swabot. One dove at his feet but he jumped and avoided the robot.

As for Maria, she went straight for Gargotron. However, she was also swarmed by Swabots. She didn't get too worked up about it, though; she just plowed right through them, knocking as many Swabots out of the way to get to Gargotron. However more Swabots kept coming and she didn't get a chance to fight Gargotron. She punched a Swabot out of frustration right in the face and used it like a weapon to smash a number of Swabots to bits.

Hitomi jumped onto a street light and started swinging from it. The Swabots only watched while she did her thing and eventually, she let go and smashed into the Swabots. She got up and blocked a Swabot attack. Then she grabbed the Swabot and like the other Rangers, used it like a club to smash the Swabots to pieces. She leapt in the air and came down on several other Swabots before reverse round house kicking the Swabots into submission before moving on.

As for Rob, he too had trouble getting to Gargotron. Several Swabots grabbed him and hauled him away from Gargotron, only for him to grab them and smash them to bits. He kicked at one, and then punched another. It was becoming clear that he was getting the hang of being a Power Ranger. He punched, kicked and punched at the Swabots. He brought them down one by one, and even in groups. He fought so well his Marine brothers would be more than impressed with him.

"WE GOT 'EM ON THE RUN!" Sean cheered, holding up the GT Sword triumphantly. That was when he noticed some more figures coming. He sighed in annoyance. It was them, alright.

"Choushinsei!"

" _FLASHMAN!_ "

"Oh, great," he said. "HEY! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE, THIS IS OUR FIGHT!" he shouted.

Gargotron heard this and if he could smile he would have. It seemed as if the two Ranger teams did not need any pushing to become enemies. They already were! All he needed to do was bide his time and wait for the Rangers to start fighting him. Then he would do his thing. "COME AT ME, RANGERS!" he shouted with more ham than you'd expect from a robot.

"YOU ASKED FOR IT!" Sean shouted, taking his GT Sword and charging Gargotron. Gargotron raised his arm and several missiles appeared. He launched them at Sean, but he was able to dodge them quite easily (Gargotron was not aiming at him. He sprung off a car hood and swung his sword down at Gargotron. His sword connected with Gargotron's arm, but it bounced off quite easily.

Suddenly, Jon rushed in, swinging his crystal sword. Sean had to duck as Flash Red thrust his sword at Gargotron, nearly hitting Sean. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?" he shouted. "WARN ME NEXT TIME!"

"Then stay out of my way!" Jon replied. Sean shoved him aside and attacked Gargotron. His sword struck out at the robot, keeping it at bay. He was not going to let the robot gain the upper and—did Jon just shove him out of the way!?

"HEY!" he shouted. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?"

"Stay out of my way!" Jon replied before attacking Gargotron. His attacked were full of rage at the Zordonian robot. His sword strikes were erratic and fast-paced, unlike Sean's precise attacks. Sean got back up and started attacking. Despite their obvious dislike of each other, the two started playing off each other, keeping Gargotron at bay.

In the mean time the other Rangers had to deal with the Flash Rangers in their attempt to get to Gargotron. Whereas Hitomi and Flash Pink hit it off pretty well, the others, well, not so much. Aaron shoved the Green Flash Ranger out of the way, much to the other's annoyance. He lifted Aaron off the ground and said, "Do not do that again."

"What? Don't push you?" Aaron asked. Green Flash dropped Aaron to the ground, much to GPX Green's annoyance. He got up and started fighting the Swabots again, trying to keep Flash Green away from him. It wasn't exactly working, unfortunately. All it did was continue to play into the Zordonians' hands. They had no idea what they were doing.

Maria and Yellow Flash also had the same problems. Except they were not pushing and shoving each other as much as Aaron and Flash Green were, they were just attacking the same Swabots which caused some difficulties and eventually did lead to pushing and shoving from both of them. However, Maria sadly asserted her dominance over Yellow Flash first.

Yellow Flash was not happy and she shoved Maria out of the way and into a Swabot horde. Understandably, Maria was angry about this and she took down the Swabots pretty quickly to go and punish Yellow Flash for her behavior.

As several Swabots swarmed them, Kevin and Blue Flash had to work together at first. The two appeared to be getting along, but it was purely teeth-clenched teamwork. Until their Swabots were all taken care of, they were not going to fight. Kevin punched and kicked all around. The Swabots were going down like flies.

Suddenly, he noticed a blue ball coming right at him. He had to get out of the way. "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" he shouted.

"Then stay out of my way!" Blue Flash replied. Kevin growled and went back to killing Swabots.

As for Hitomi and Pink Flash, well, things were actually going good. Pink Flash had jumped in the air and slammed her crystal boots on a car. That sent a Swabot flying and Hitomi finished it off, shooting it with her arrow. They repeated this process several times over the next several minutes.

Rob, of course, fought all alone. The Flash Rangers had no sixth Ranger, so he didn't have this problem. He kept punching and kicking at Swabots, fully engrossed in his new Ranger duties. He'd been ambivalent at first, but now things were really starting to click for him. It was so much FUN!

The Flash and GPX Rangers had finished off the Swabots. Now it was time to deal with Gargotron. "Alright Flash Rangers, you've had your fun, now let us take this guy!"

"Absolutely not!" said Jon.

"Excuse me?" Sean asked incredulously. "But we were fighting these bastards first, so why don't you—"

"They destroyed our planet first!" said Jon. "I do not care if they feel this is their home planet, their battle is with us!"

"I'd rather fight the GPX Rangers!" said Gargotron. This was only a way to troll the Flash Rangers. It worked.

"Silence, you foul robot!" said Jon.

"HEY! He wants to fight us!" said Sean. The GPX Rangers rushed forward and attacked Gargotron first.

Sean went first, throwing a punch and a sword strike. Then he blocked Gargotron's strike long enough for Kevin to tackle Gargotron to the ground. Gargotron picked him up and threw him away, but Aaron embedded his axe blade into Gargotron's back. It would have worked had Gargotron not turned his whole head around and pulled Aaron's axe out of his back. He would have missed Maria, but he blocked her right before she dug her daggers into him and then he knocked Hitomi to the side. Rob did a good number on him before he too, was knocked away.

"I'm STILL better than you!" he said.

"No you're not!" Sean replied. "GT STRIKE!" he swung his sword, but Gargotron got out of the way. However, Sean kicked him in the gut.

As they were watching, the Flash Rangers got impatient. Out of this impatience, Jon grabbed Sean and pulled him away, literally kicking and screaming. Sean tried to fight it off, but the Flash Rangers rushed Gargotron to try and take him out.

The all attacked one after another. Flash Blue went first, hitting Gargotron with his sword. Green Flash then gave him some punches with his crystal boozing gloves while Yellow Flash twirled her batons against him. Then, Pink Flash jumped up and stomped him to the ground. When he got up, Red Flash prepared his attack. "Fire Thunder!" he shouted before striking Gargotron.

Again, that didn't do anything. The robot was still standing. "Is that the best you can do!?" he shouted.

"Are you kidding me!?" Sean shouted. "That was bullshit!" He rushed forward, along with the GPX Rangers and knocked the Flash Rangers to the side. They started attacking Gargotron one after the other, as well, giving him up to each other while they took turns fighting him.

Then the Flash Rangers repeated this process, tearing them away from Gargotron. This time, however, the GPX Rangers fought back. They shoved the Flash Rangers away. However, Rob was now locked in hand-to-hand combat with Gargotron. While those ten did their silly dance, he was the one doing all the work!

Rob punched Gargotron and then kicked him. Gargotron punched back. Rob stumbled back and turned around to see both Ranger teams acting like morons. "HEY!" he shouted. "What the hell are you guys doing!?"

"We're taking care of these bastards!" Sean shouted back.

"YOU IDIOTS, THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT!" Rob shouted, getting into full Marine mode. "GET YOUR FUCKING ASSES OVER HERE AND DEAL WITH THIS ROBOT! NOW!"

"It's time for me to leave!" Gargotron said, as it was clear that he didn't need to do much. Rob noticed this and tried to get him, but Gargotron teleported away, much to Rob's anger. He seethed and walked over to Sean.

This is one of the few moments where Sixth Ranger has authority over team leader. He grabbed Sean's collar and pulled him away. "Rob, what gives!?" Sean shouted.

"While you morons were fighting, Gargotron escaped!" Rob replied. "We had a chance to beat him!"

"You barbarians!" Jon shouted. "There is no chance in the galaxy that we will fight alongside you!"

"Yeah, the feeling's mutual, asshole!" Sean shouted back. The Flash Rangers left, clearly unwilling to deal with them.

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

An insane smile had crossed Kalderon's face. Now he had the Rangers where he wanted them! After Gargotron reported back for repairs, he decided now was the time. "We will begin our assault soon," said Kalderon. Gargotron bowed before the general. Kalderon looked over at Tirna. The other general looked interested but still concerned.

"I worry about your mental state," said Tirna.

"Your concern is appreciated," said Kalderon, "But unnecessary. We only have a short window."

"What do you mean?" asked Tirna. "You are scaring me."

"Gargotron!" he said. "BEGIN THE ASSAULT ON ORLANDO!"

"AT ONCE!" Gargotron replied. Tirna's arms crossed in interest. The general then got up and walked out of the room.

"You called for me?" asked a slithery voice.

"Yes," said Tirna. "I want you to do something for me…"

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

Things had quieted down. The GPX Rangers were relaxing but not talking to each other. Rob seemed pretty annoyed at the others for their refusal to accept any help from the Flash Rangers. They had sacrificed the help they needed for their own petty grudge. Man, these guys were stupid. "What is wrong with you guys?" he asked.

"We have some differences with them," said Sean. "They were pretty lethal and well, they're more concerned about revenge."

"And that's a reason to blow them off why…?" None of them answered. They just watched the city workers clean up the wreckage of the Swabots. Honestly, what is it with these guys? Then again, the Flash Rangers did insult them earlier and why is it getting darker at 3 in the afternoon? They looked up to see if it was a thundercloud.

It wasn't.

A mass of ships were gathering in the sky. There were so many they were blotting out much of the sun. The citizens of Orlando came out to see what was going on. It seemed just about every eyeball in the area, even as far as Lakeland, was trained up at the sky. Horror was on the faces of everyone in the Central Florida region. Suddenly, they heard a voice;

"ATTENTION _POWER RANGERS. WE DEMAND YOU SURRENDER IN FIFTEEN MINUTES OR WE WILL LEVEL THE CITY._ "

The Rangers all looked at each other. Fear began to cross their faces; fear of what was coming. What was going on? And why were the Zordonians preparing to attack again? They could see the fear in everyone's eyes. This was going to be different. The Zordonians were not playing around anymore. This show of force was to intimidate the people of Earth.

It was working.

They all hoped they could fight hard and drive the invasion back. But even they were not sure if they could actually do it.

The end had begun. There was no turning back.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

Sean VO: "Next time, on  _Power Rangers GPX!_ "

Kalderon: "The assault has already begun!"

( _Shots of the Rangers fighting off wave after wave of Swabots. They seem to be failing miserably_ )

Sean: "RETREAT!"

Aaron: "Were you planning to abandon us?"

Maelstrom: "We cannot hold this city."

Sean: "We're going to lose."

Sean VO: "That's next time, on  _Power Rangers GPX_!"

End chapter


	16. The Final Lap, Part 1

Kevin VO: "Previously, on  _Power Rangers GPX_!"

Sean: "I applied to transfer to UW-Madison in March."

Rob: "He's probably thinking of ways to get you to Madison."

Kalderon: "I have already formulated my endgame."

Red Flash: "Do you actually think you can defeat Kalderon?"

Maelstrom: "We think they're preparing for an offensive."

( _The Rangers fight a whole horde of Swabots. They get into it with the Flash Rangers as well and the two teams have a falling out._ )

Kalderon: "BEGIN THE ASSAULT ON ORLANDO!"

( _Spaceships appear in the sky above Orlando. The Rangers look at each other, truly scared for the first time_ )

Power Rangers GPX, episode 32: The Final Lap, Part 1

:-:-:-: We're the best chance, for humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, let's go! :-:-:-:

"… Yeah, this is the Red Ranger, alright! I want you give this message to the anchors on behalf of the Power Rangers: 'Dear Kalderon; NUTS! Signed, the Power Rangers'." Sean turned off his iPhone and looked at the other Rangers. They looked very worried, what with all the invasion forces up in the sky. The Zordonians must be desperate if they were willing to level Orlando just to get them!

"So… we're really going to fight back?" asked Hitomi.

"OF COURSE WE ARE!" Sean replied. "We're Power Rangers! We don't quit, we don't surrender, and most importantly, WE DO NOT FUCKING LOSE!"

"DAMN RIGHT!" Rob shouted, eager to follow his brother-in-law. "ARE WE READY!?"

"FUCK YES!" Maria shouted. The others soon followed. They were a little ambivalent, but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was beating the Zordonians. They looked up at the screen showing the Central Florida News 13 feed.

" _He have words from the Power Rangers!_ " said the female anchor. " _The message reads, 'Dear Kalderon; NUTS! Signed, the Power Rangers'._ " Sean pumped his fist. Kalderon had to have heard that by now.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

He certainly did.

He watched the feed as the anchors looked confused. They must have been expecting the Rangers to surrender. "Very well, then," he said. "The assault has already begun!" He ordered a Swabot to bring some glasses of wine over. Tirna watched with interest. Then the general smiled. The monster slipped something into the general's hand.

When Kalderon was distracted, Tirna slipped something into the wine glass Kalderon would drink out of. Tirna grabbed handed the glass to Kalderon and took the one that did not have anything slipped into it. "Shall we toast, Tirna?"

"Of course," Tirna replied. Tirna held up the glass.

"To our victory and reconquest of Earth!" He took a sip. Tirna smiled. Kalderon's time was done.

"General Kalderon!" said one of the Swabots. Kalderon raised his eyebrows and turned around. "Emperor Rashon is on his way here."

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

"Alright, let's do this!" Sean shouted. The Swabots had begun to land and attack the city. People started to run while the army and National Guard began to set up a perimeter around the battle zone. The Rangers stood in front of them, ready to take the Swabots down. They could feel a knot in the pit of their stomachs. This is what their powers were made for. Now it was time to put it to good use. "IT'S MORPHIN' TIME! READY!?"

" _READY!_ "

" _GPX, START IT UP!_ " The Rangers jammed their keys into their morphers and Rob pressed his morpher. There was a flash of light and the Rangers had morphed again.

"LET'S GOOOO!" The rings on the Rangers' boots began to spin and then they took off to confront and stop the Swabots.

Sean plowed into the first wave, clotheslining them with extreme prejudice. He jumped up and gave one a jumping reverse roundhouse kick. He got down and then swept them off of their feet. He then run up and jumped off a car, kicking as many of them down as he could. He punched another one and then elbowed the next. He grabbed another by the neck and shoved it into the crowd of Swabots. He picked another one up and tossed it into the crowd of Swabots. He let out a mighty roar and went back to fighting.

Kevin barreled into the first wave he faced. He wrapped one up, lifted it up and bowled right into the other Swabots. When he threw it down he side kicked a Swabot in the chest and then threw a mighty punch. The Swabot blocked his punch, but Kevin countered, smashing its head to pieces. He grabbed another one's head, dragged it along and tossed it into a car. Then he jumped up and elbowed another one, reverse roundhouse kicked a lot of them and then finished it off by piledriving one that snuck up on him.

As for Aaron, he'd gone Parkour again, jumping off the sides of the buildings and blocking whatever the Swabots brought. He spun, punched and elbowed some Swabots down to the ground. Then he jumped up and vaulted off a car to kick one in the head. He punched another one a couple times and then knocked it down. He ducked as a pair of them rushed in and they smashed into each other. He got back up and noticed he was surrounded by Swabots. Oh, well. Better get to work!

Maria grabbed the arm of one Swabot and smashed it off. Then she took the robot and flipped it on its back and smashed it to the ground. She then roundhouse kicked another one and punched it to finish it off. She jumped up and kicked a Swabot in the face. Said Swabot crashed into the other robots. She then grabbed another one and started going to town on it. When she was done she tossed it over at the Swabots. She then side kicked on that had tried to sneak up on her. She wiped her brow and went back to fighting.

Hitomi flipped several times to avoid the Swabots. She blocked a Swabot kick with her foot several times and then gave it a reverse roundhouse kick. She then ran up the side of a building and flipped off of it, landing perfectly and kicked the Swabots into the building. A Swabot grabbed her from behind and she tried to take it off. Eventually she succeeded and tossed the robot forward. She ran and vaulted off another Swabot that had fallen over and she jumped up and brought her foot down on them.

Rob was surrounded. That simplified his problem. They can't get away from him now! They rushed forward. He grabbed a pair and shoved them into the crowd of Swabots. One threw a punch. He ducked, got back up, blocked it and countered with a punch to the face. He spun around and kicked another right in the face. Then he got down and swept them all off their feet. One rushed in and when he got back up, he punched it right in the gut. Then he brought it down and smashed its head on his knee. "OOH-RAH!"

Unfortunately, the Swabots just. Kept. Coming. Wave after wave rushed forward, beginning to overwhelm the Rangers while the Army and National Guard tried to keep them at bay, but there were so many of them. it was as if Kalderon had unleashed the legions of the Underworld upon them.

Sean and Maria were fighting side-by-side. More and more Swabots kept coming, but they knocked them all to the side. However, each Swabot that was taken down was replaced by two more. Sean noticed a Swabot that had snuck up on Maria and in reflex, he kicked the Swabot away. But one Swabot timed its punch right and knocked him to the ground. He got back up just in time to catch Maria and throw her back into the melee. She punched another Swabot, but soon the Swabots began to overwhelm them.

Aaron flipped Hitomi upwards like you see cheerleaders do. She twisted in the air, called out her attack with the Am Staff and then thrust it into the ground. The Swabots that had come forward were knocked back by the shock wave. She got up and blocked a Swabot that was coming in and then tossed to Aaron, who took a big swing with his axe that cut the Swabot in half. However, several Swabots ganged up on Aaron and knocked him down. Hitomi tried to help, but the Swabots also overwhelmed her.

At the same time, Rob and Kevin were kicking ass like you would expect a pair of veterans to do. They pounded away at the Swabots, working off each other like they were in sync. In a way they were. They held off the Swabots that were coming, but then sparks erupted from Kevin's suit. A Swabot had hit him and he fell backwards, crashing into Rob. It was a domino effect and now the Swabots began to close in on the two as Rob tried to keep the Swabots at bay.

Sean felt the hard metal fist of a Swabot in his gut. He could hear Maria shouting his name, but he was too focused on the punch. His HUD said there was no internal injury, so he kept going. He grabbed a Swabot that had latched onto Marian, but then the two felt the strike of a Swabot sword. They fell backwards and crashed into several Swabots. But with the battle they just fought only an hour ago and the sheer number of Swabots, fatigue had started to catch up to them. They were losing.

It was the same with the Aaron and Hitomi. They were so tired they could barely stand on their own two feet at this time. The only thing that kept them going was making sure the civilians were unharmed. Even that was proving to be difficult. They helped them get to the armored vehicles, but the Swabots dragged them away and started to really do a number on the two. Aaron grabbed a Swabot's arm and tossed it to the side, but the Swabots began to outmaneuver them.

On the other hand, Rob and Kevin were still on their feet. They knocked the Swabots out of the way, trying to plough their way through to the landing craft, but it was no use. Wave after wave of Swabots kept coming and they could no longer fight against the flow. The tried and tried their hardest, but it was no use. The Swabots pushed them backwards and no amount of shooting could stop them. They fell to the ground with the Swabots stomping all over them.

Sean had managed to get out of the melee and leaned against a wall. His breathing was heavy as he looked around, seeing people being caught up in the chaos. The Swabots had even overrun the Army and National Guard and to make matters worse, the other Rangers looked beat. He felt Maria place her hand on his shoulder and lean in, trying to comfort him.

It was no use.

Sean could see they had lost. They couldn't hold downtown anymore. It panged him so much to say it out loud. He'd rather do it when they were in a less hopeless situation (like that fight against the Wendigo in the Carbondale universe), but now he had to. As leader, he had to make sure that his comrades' safety came first. Perhaps all they needed to do was regroup. He took a deep breath and then shouted,

"RETREEEEAAATTT!"

He could not see Maria's face, but he knew she was stunned. The others were also just as stunned. They could not fathom what they had just heard. They just needed to hear it again. "RETREAT!" he shouted again.

"But—" Aaron started,

"I SAID RETREAT!" Sean replied.

It seemed as though the sound had ceased. Aaron pulled a struggling Hitomi out from under the Swabots, as did Rob. Sean pulled Maria by the arm and the retreat back to the house began. They did not fight the Swabots. They had to get out of there as soon as possible.

As this happened, the citizens watched as the Rangers retreated and a feeling of betrayal quickly swept through them and they began to throw things at their would-be saviors. The Rangers didn't think it was possible, but it happened.

The public had turned against them. It was the worst humiliation they could imagine.

As the day unfolded, Kalderon stepped off his shuttle and viewed the damage. Much of downtown was already in their hands and Terrans who had been captured were being marched off. Kalderon smiled. He didn't need to be sneaky this time. All that mattered now was that he had sent the Rangers into retreat. While he knew where they were going, he decided not to go after them. It was dishonorable to attack someone in their home, after all. "Gargotron!" he said.

"Yes, General Kalderon!"

"Send a message to the Terran media. I want an ultimatum sent out before nightfall."

"Yes, sir!" Gargotron replied.

Meanwhile, Tirna watched Kalderon, confident that the rival general would not have much longer.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

The now un-morphed Rangers had to run through the neighborhood which had descended into anarchy, forced to fight off several looters who had tried to get into their house. They had no idea if there were any Swabots anywhere near, but they didn't want to take any chances. Rob opened the door and began urging everyone in.

Suddenly, a SWORD agent ran up to him. He had Bridget, Allie, Cassie and Tommy with him. Rob simply hugged his wife hard before running inside while another SWORD agent volunteered to stay outside while the agent went inside with Rob.

"Rob, what the hell is going on out there!?" said Bridget.

"I think the news might have something," said Rob. The TV was on, which meant that power had not been cut off. One look showed the entire city had descended into anarchy. Gangs were patrolling the streets, Swabots were everywhere and the army had no chance at all. The Swabots had pretty much captured about 3 quarters of the city. Orlando had fallen.

"Goddammit," said Sean.

"Rangers," said the agent. "What do we do now?" Bridget, who had just heard this for the first time, looked at Sean with total shock.

"You guys are the Power Rangers!?" she said.

"Yeah," said Sean. "I'd prefer it if we could have a more dramatic time to reveal this, but we don't. All I can say is this: All those classes I took as a kid were secret training classes to turn me into a super soldier to fight off aliens that originated on Earth and now want the planet back. And all of these guys here, even Rob, are Power Rangers, and we couldn't tell you because that's the first rule of Superheroing."

Bridget couldn't say anything. Well, she was too shocked to really say anything, period. All the events of the day and what Sean just told her kind of messed with her head. Luckily, Tommy stepped in. "What the hell did you retreat for!?" he shouted.

"HEY! Don't say that, young man!" Rob shouted.

"Why? We're gonna die anyways; I might as well say it! What the fuck were you thinking?"

"I was thinking about the safety of my friends!" said Sean. "We were getting tired and overrun, there was no way in hell we would have fought them all off!"

"Yeah,  _now_ you worry about us!" said Aaron. Sean looked at him with a very angry look.

"What the hell did you just say?" he asked.

"Why are you so worried about us now?" Aaron asked.

"Because you guys are my friends and comrades, I'm not gonna leave you all out there to die!" Sean replied. "What the hell has gotten into, Ndebele?"

"You act like you care about us now," said Aaron, "But weren't you planning to abandon us?"

"Wait, does this have to do with the Madison thing?" asked Bridget.

Sean gave Aaron a look as if he was crazy. He turned around and looked at everyone else. "Well?" he asked.

"We were worried," said Hitomi. "We didn't hear that you had gotten into a new university."

"And now we think you're going to leave us here," said Kevin.

"And you guys are idiots for thinking that!" said Rob. "He wasn't going to abandon you!"

"He's damn right I'm not!" Sean replied. "What the hell has gotten into all of you?"

"We're starting to resent you," said Kevin.

"Then why don't you run off like Rich Boy did?" asked Sean. He heard a cough behind him. He looked at the SWORD agent, who didn't seem to keen on getting into this fight.

"I think I'll go snipe on the roof," he said.

"Go on Kevin," said Sean, "What do you think of me?"

"You're a stubborn glory hound who thinks of himself first," said Kevin.

"And what about you, Ndebele?" he asked.

"Your ego is too big for the team," he said.

"Maria, Hitomi, what about you two?"

"You're obsessed with hockey," said Maria.

"And you're kind of mean," said Hitomi.

"So all of this made you think that I was going to abandon you to go to Madison, is that it?" he asked. They all nodded. Bridget sighed in exasperation while Rob facepalmed.

"Unca Sean," he heard Allie say while she tugged his shorts leg, "Ah you weawy gonna weave us?"

Sean couldn't help but laugh at his niece. He bent down and picked her up, giving her a big hug. "No," he said. "I can't abandon you. Whoever thought of that is a moron with his own ego." He looked at Aaron as he said this. "I can't abandon any of you. You guys are the most important people in my life. Allie, you're my adorable niece, Bridge, you're my sister, Rob, you're a hell of a brother-in-law, Tommy… well, and you kind of remind me of me.

"Now then, I might as well say some things about you guys that piss me off," he said again. "Kevin, you're too passive-aggressive. If you told me about how you felt about me, I would have apologized. Hitomi; you're too cute and immature! That stuff might work in Japan, but not here! Maria, you really need to accept the stuff I like. And Ndebele, you're  _still_  a newbie if you think that Power Rangers can just abandon each other!"

"Are you done?" asked Rob.

"Yeah," said Sean. "Now that I got that stuff off my chest, I might as well say this. Hitomi: you're the absolute nicest person on this team and even though you're physically weakest, you make up for it in heart and skill. Ndebele, you may have trust issues, but I've never seen someone as driven as you are. Kevin, you're a hell of a friend and you always have been. And Maria…" He took a deep breath. "I think I want you to be my girlfriend."

"About time," said Bridget.

As he said that, Maria blushed a deep, deep red. She hid her face from everyone else. "What about me?" asked Hitomi.

"Sorry Hitomi, but I just can't see you like that," he said. "You're like the little sister I never had."

"I can live with that," said Hitomi.

"I might as well come out and say something myself," said Maria. "I am proudly and openly bisexual and I had a girlfriend for six months."

"I like rugby," said Aaron, "Even though my mother thinks it's too white."

"I actually hated being in the Irish Defense Forces," said Kevin.

"I like yaoi," said Hitomi.

"I'm a Wiccan," said Bridget.

"And I really don't like Tommy," said Rob.

"And, another thing," said Bridget. "Our mom is a lesbian."

"Or at least bi," said Sean. "We still have our dad. Our mom and dad divorced after I was born and my mom met her partner when I was three."

"I KNEW IT!" said Maria. "I KNEW your mother was gay, I just didn't have any proof! Welcome to the club, Sean!"

"Wait, what?"

"My mother divorced my father after my birth," she said. "She had to come out, but he accepted her and they're on very good terms now."

"We had normal parents," said Aaron.

"Okay, now that our deepest darkest secrets are out, let's get down to the nitty-gritty," said Sean. "Guys, there is no way in hell I was going to abandon you. In fact, I  _want_  you guys to come to Madison with me, no 'if's, 'and's or 'but's about it, even Bridge and Rob."

They all sighed in relief and cheered. Sean smiled and put Allie down as he gave Maria a big hug. He whispered something in her ear that made her give him a kiss on the cheek.

Suddenly, they heard Sean's phone go off. Sean pulled out and answered. "Hello? Oh, sorry, I'll go and get my laptop." He ran upstairs and then brought it back down a moment later. He opened it up and turned on Skype right as Tom Maelstrom's face appeared.

"He looks like Samuel L. Jackson," said Bridget, "You know, in those  _Iron Man_  movies?"

"We cannot hold this city," said Maelstrom. The Rangers sighed. "However, the new suit has been finished on time."

"Already?" said Sean.

"We'd been working on it for some time," said Maelstrom. "Connect your morphers to the mopher upgrade." The Rangers did that, even Rob. "We'll download the new information into the morphers. They should be ready tomorrow."

"Damn," said Sean. "I wanted to get out there."

"Your best option right now is to lay low," said Maelstrom. "And we just got an ultimatum from CNN."

"CNN?" said Sean. "What's it say?"

"They're reporting the Zordonians want you to surrender by noon tomorrow," said Maelstrom. Sean scoffed. "And Ben Dreck is bad-mouthing you again."

"Turn on the TV," said Sean. "Let's see what bullshit he's talking about." He turned on the TV to Fox News and the Dreck show.

" _America, I told you! I told you, I told you, I told you, the Power Rangers were never on our side! They abandoned us to the onslaught of an enemy force and now when the government has come in and they send these people away, they'll use this as an excuse to clamp down on our freedom!_ "

"Pick a criticism and stick with it, you moron," said Rob. "This guy's a terrible strawman."

" _These Power Rangers were no good from the start, and they're no good now! They're just a way for the government to take away your freedoms, America. Democracy is dead. Take your guns, gold and God and resist as much as you can, because there is nothing that can save us now_."

"Yes, there is," said Sean.

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

Kalderon was unaware that Rashon would return so soon. He had expected him to take some time, but apparently Rashon was so impressed with him he decided to take the next wormhole back to Earth and see what Kalderon had done. He stood at attention waiting for Rashon's shuttle to land. He felt excitement in the pit of his stomach. He knew what he'd done. He'd finally succeeded. He'd beaten the Rangers and established a beachhead on Earth.

At his side were Tirna and Gargotron. At his feet was a kneeling Buddy Dyer. The mayor looked up as the shuttle landed. The shuttle opened. Two men wearing guard uniforms stepped out. "PRESENTING, HIS ETERNAL MAJESTY, RASHON III, EMPEROR OF ZORDON!" a man called out.

Dressed in white, Rashon stepped out of the shuttle, flanked by two more guards, Hercuron and Eltar. Liaria followed soon. He looked down at the kneeling Dyer. He chuckled and walked over to him. "Are you the leader of this city?" asked Rashon.

"Yes," said Mayor Dyer.

"We demand that you unconditionally surrender this city," said Rashon. "Your army has fallen and the Power Rangers have retreated. You have no other options."

Mayor Dyer sucked in his breath. He tried to stop from sobbing, but he didn't have a chance. He sobbed for several minutes before nodding his head. "Yes," he said. "Just please don't kill anyone."

"We are an honorable people, the Zordonians," said Rashon. "It's such a shame our species had to leave so long ago. But now, we shall have our planet back. Kalderon!"

"Yes, my Emperor!"

"What news of the Power Rangers?"

"We have sent them an ultimatum," said Kalderon. "They must surrender to us at noon tomorrow. We know they will accept."

"Good," said Rashon. He sat down on a throne that had been placed there just moments earlier. "Today is a fine day, indeed, wouldn't you say?"

"Of course," said Kalderon.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

In the meantime, the Rangers began planning their assault tomorrow. SWORD was planning their own assault, but the Rangers would go right into downtown and take down Kalderon. Part of the problem was how to do it. Should they sneak in and surprise the Zordonians? No, not good enough. Should they walk up to them and challenge them? Hmmm, certainly something you'd expect Power Rangers to do, but it's kind of risky.

They looked over some aerial footage of the city. Even though the Zordonians had strong air cover, there were a few civilian pilots who operated as SWORD agents in the skies. They pretended to be just passing through and took pictures of the city. The Zordonians were mainly concentrated in downtown.

By now despair had truly set in. After the adrenaline of earlier, they began to realize that their situation was near hopeless. The Zordonians had Swabots everywhere in the entire city. If he hadn't by now, Dyer would have surrendered the city. Governor Crist and President Obama may be gathering their troops, but unless something happens, there was no way they were going to save the city.

It was then they heard the news from Rashon himself on TV. "Attention, Power Rangers!" he said. "We, the army of the Empire of Zordon demand that you surrender yourselves at noon tomorrow. Doing so will ensure the safety of every citizen of this city. If not… we will not be merciful upon you. Arrive here at City Hall by noon tomorrow."

That night, as Sean looked out of his bedroom window, he felt a knot in the pit of his stomach. He thought about all the other Power Rangers who had to deal with far worse situations. In a way, he couldn't think of any except SPD, Space, or even Time Force. SPD is about as close as it comes to this situation. He took a deep breath and looked out at the city again.

That was when he heard a knock on the door. "Come in," he said. "Hi, Maria."

"Hola," she replied. "Just so you know, I got tested last week. I'm clean." Sean looked at her.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"Are you nervous?"

"I'm shaking," he said. He felt his bed sag as she climbed in. He felt her stroking his face and he turned to look at her. Her eyes were just as concerned as him.

"You want to lose your virginity?" she asked. Sean gulped.

"Is that why—"

"Yes," she replied. "I have a clean bill of health and I have some, you know…" She whispered in his ear. He blushed. "Mr. Big Badass Red Ranger is nervous about that. Don't worry, I'll be gentle." She gave him a light kiss on his lips.

He took another big breath and then nodded his head before leaning in for another kiss.

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

The next day came too soon. Before they all knew it, it was 9 in the morning. Today they would go out and challenge the Zordonian Empire over control of Earth. They ate breakfast in silence, unable to say anything to each other. They knew what was at stake. They did not need to say anything to each other. Bridget made them a good, hearty breakfast, one that would give them enough calories and energy to take on anything.

Sean and Maria came back downstairs. They looked closer than they usually were. However, everyone else ignored it. They too, ate in silence. There was no need to tell anyone of what was about to happen. They were going to risk their lives for everyone on Earth, even the people they disagreed with.

After breakfast, they went over their plan again. They would come up to City Hall, present themselves and fight. If all went well, they would succeed. The puck was in their end of the ice now. All they needed was the assurance from one another. As they prepared and even ate lunch, they gave each other knowing looks and glances. "I've got your back," was the message. Sean gave Bridget one last hug and Rob gave her one last kiss.

"Are you going to lose?" she asked.

Sean scoffed. "There's no way in hell we're going to lose," he said. "We're going to go out there and we're going to fight. We don't know what will happen, but we have no plans to lose. Hell, fucking, no. We are going to go there and we're going to KICK THEIR ASSES." He turned around.

"This is the day, guys!" he said. "We're gonna show the world what we're made of! Today, on this day, it will be decided whether humans will be slaves or free! It will be decided whether or not our species will continue to thrive or perish! Well, guess what? We hold that ability in our hands right now! We're the first, last, and only line of defense our planet and species has!

"Sure, we didn't ask for this. But there's no one in this entire city that can stand up to them except  _us_. We've fought and beaten them before, and god-fucking-dammit, WE'RE GONNA DO IT AGAIN!

"We've been through the worst shit imaginable! We've been beaten, we've been strangled, we've been shot, we've been knocked around like ragdolls. But guess what? We've stood tall and we've spat in their faces! WE CAN DO IT AGAIN!

"What have they got? An army? HAH! We've got the strength to beat back an ENTIRE SPACE FLEET! WE HAVE EACH OTHER! Our battles have brought us as close as family! They won't know what fucking hit them! We'll knock 'em aside, and we'll tell them to GET THE FUCK OFF OUR PLANET!

"THEY DON'T STAND A CHANCE! DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY!? WE'RE FUCKING POWER RANGERS! WE DON'T QUIT, WE DON'T SURRENDER, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OF ALL,  _WE DO_ _ **NOT FUCKING**_ _ **LOSE!**_

"Everyone huddle up," he said. They huddled up and Sean began to speak again. "This story shall the good man teach his son; And we may shall ne'er go by, from this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remember'd; we few, we happy few, we band of brothers—and sisters; For those to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother and sister; be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition: and everyone in the world shall think themselves accursed they were not here, AND HOLD THEIR PRIDE CHEAP WHILE ANY SPEAKS, THAT FOUGHT WITH US  _UPON! THIS!_ _ **DAY!**_  Now let's get out there AND KICK SOME FUCKING ASS!"

They all cheered, roused and ready to go. They gathered their hands in the circle and Sean said, "ONE, TWO, THREE!"

" _POW-WER RANG-GERS!_ "

"GO GET 'EM!" Bridget shouted as they left the house. She turned around and went to the phone to call someone.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

Emeperor Rashon was sitting on the steps of City Hall when he got the message. He stood up and walked over to Kalderon. "Prepare your forces," he said. "The Power Rangers are on their way.

_To be continued…_

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

Aaron VO: "Next time, on  _Power Rangers GPX!_ "

Rashon: "Do you surrender?"

Sean: "We'll win or die trying!"

Jon: "You need to recognize what you are in for."

Sean: "I challenge you, Rashon!"

Rashon: And if I win?"

( _Shots of the Rangers fighting the Zordonians_ )

Aaron VO: "That's next time, on  _Power Rangers GPX!_ "


	17. The Final Lap, Part 2

Maria VO: "Previously, on  _Power Rangers GPX_!"

Sean: "Dear Kalderon; NUTS!"

Kalderon: "To our victory and reconquest of Earth!"

Sean: "I SAID RETREAT!"

Bridget: "You guys are the Power Rangers?"

Sean: "I can't abandon any of you."

Rashon: We, the army of the Empire of Zordon demand that you surrender yourselves at noon tomorrow."

Sean: "Now let's get out there AND KICK SOME FUCKING ASS!"

Power Rangers GPX, episode 33: The Final Lap, Part 2

:-:-:-: We're the best chance, for humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, let's go! :-:-:-:

Kalderon crossed his arms again. He noticed Rashon glancing at him for a moment but he ignored his Emperor. Zordonian soldiers and Swabots were lined up in front of Orlando City Hall waiting for the Power Rangers to arrive. He had to admit he was as the Terrans say, "Nervous". He also felt strange in his stomach, but he ignored it as It was likely just his nerves.

"Are you scared, Kalderon?" asked Emperor Rashon.

"No," said Kalderon.

"You are lying," said Rashon. Kaldeon looked over at Rashon. He was smiling. "You have been scared before," said Rashon.

"General! My emperor!" said a soldier. "We've picked something up!" Kalderon took out his binoculars and tried to find what he was talking about.

"They've come," said Kalderon.

Indeed they had. They were walking down S Orange Avenue from the north towards City Hall. They stood & walked tall & proud, their faces showed true steely-eyed determination like you'd see on gunslingers in old westerns. They walked in unison. and yhey knew exactly what they were walking into.

And they were  _not_ afraid.

This comes naturally with being a Power Ranger. Sure, being one isn't all it's cracked up to be, but these are the moments that matter: the world is in danger and if they lose, they all die. But if they win, the Zordonians might go away. They wanted the latter to happen. And they were going to  _make_ it happen. The Zordonians may have a force of arms, but the Rangers had a force that more than made-up for that; each other.

They approached, refusing to budge from their respective spots. They stared down the enemy's guns like they were little squirt guns. Why should they be afraid of them? The Zordonians kept their guns trained on the Rangers. As they got closer, Kalderon kept his arm raised to keep them calm. They came closer and soon they were within the length of two bases of the enemy (sorry, 180 feet).

"Do you surrender?" Rashon called out.

"Let me think," said Sean. "NO!"

"Very well then," said Rashon. Kalderon nodded.

Suddenly, soldiers appeared on all sides andtThey had the Rangers surrounded. They didn't bother to announce themselves, they just attacked and forced the Rangers to fight back. They were surprised, but they fought with intensity as they tried to get their keys out. However, the soldiers were smart. They grabbed their arms and tried to pull them away from each other.

Sean stomped on his soldier's foot and reached for Maria's hand. She in turn, stomped on the soldier's foot. She lunged forward and punched the other soldier's face. Then Kevin tackled a soldier that had snuck up on Maria. In turn, Rob also took out a soldier that had attacked Kevin. He felt a soldier grabbing him but then the soldier went down, hit in the back by Aaron. He also got hit in the back, but Hitomi grabbed the soldier away and took him away.

Things were looking bad, though. The Zordonian soldiers had them outnumbered and grabbing at them. They tried to pull them away from each other. They even tried to remove their morphers. The Rangers fought back as best they could, but the soldiers were—

DID THAT JUST HAPPEN!?

Five new figures came out of nowhere and attacked the soldiers. They pulled them off the GPX Rangers and punched, kicked and elbowed them away from the Rangers. Some Swabots rushed in to try and back up the soldiers, but a massive white paw whacked them to the side. The GPX Rangers watched in surprise as this unfolded.

It was the Flash Rangers and… POLA-KILLER!?

They stopped once the soldiers were gone and pulled the GPX Rangers up. Sean looked over at Jon, who gave him a knowing smile, which was returned by Sean.

If you're not listening to  _The Avengers_  soundtrack, do it NOW.

The soldiers and Swabots surrounded all of the Rangers. Pola-Killer roared in response while both teams of Rangers examined their situation. They were surrounded.

That simplified their problem.

But they stood tall, united as one, a silent reconciliation of their disagreements in a show of solidarity against their common enemy. Whatever the Zordonians threw at them, there was no doubt they were ready to throw it back with twice as much vigor as the Zordonians could throw at them. They examined the soldiers and Swabots who surrounded them, and turned their attention back to Rashon.

"Do you wish to surrender?" Rashon called out.

"FUCK YOU!" Sean replied. "We'll win or die trying!"

"Do you know what you are doing?" asked Jon. Sean looked at him with a dirty look in his face.

"Of course I do," said Sean. "Why?"

"You need to recognize what you are in for," said Jon, "They are going to send their army at you and you will not stand a chance."

"Well then, we're going to fight anyways," said Sean. "Now then, what do you say we both fight?"

Jon smiled. Sean reached out his hand and Jon took his hand and shook it. Once that agreement was done, both Ranger teams lined up in front of City Hall. They stood tall and determined. Whatever the Zordonians were about to throw at them, fuck it! They're Power Rangers! And Power Rangers do not go down easily!

"No, we  _won't_ surrender!" said Sean. "We're gonna fight and we're gonna kick the shit out of you! You want to know why?" He gestured with his arms wide. "ALL OF THIS! THIS IS OUR PLANET! OUR HOME! YOU THINK WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT UP!? NO FUCKING WAY! YOU NEVER SHOULD HAVE MESSED WITH US! YOU WANNA KNOW WHY!? WE'RE POWER RANGERS!" He nudged Jon.

"Oh, um, we do not quit!" he said.

"And we don't—"

"Surrender!" Aaron said before Hitomi finished his sentence.

Maria: "And most—"

Rob: "Importantly!"

Kevin: "OF ALL!

" _WE DO NOT FUCKING LOSE!_ " The GPX Rangers shouted in unison.

"YOU WANT US TO SURRENDER!? COME AND MAKE US!" Sean shouted.

"Very well," said Rashon.

"Now then," said Sean. "Red Flash, you ready?"

"Of course," he said.

"IS EVERYONE READY!?"

" _READY!_ "

" _GPX, START IT UP!_ "

" _PRISM FLASH!_ "

There was a flash of light and both teams had morphed. The GPX Rangers looked at their new suits. Their torsos, arms and boots were now colored. Their pants and gloves were white. They still had the straps, broken white lines going down the arm, glove and boot rings and the utility belt right out of  _RPM._ It was a good look. "NOW THEN!" said Sean, "LET'S DO THIS!"

"RED FLASH!" shouted Jon.

"GREEN FLASH!"

"BLUE FLASH!"

"YELLOW FLASH!"

"PINK FLASH!"

Sean: GPX RED!"

Kevin: "GPX BLUE!"

Aaron: "GPX GREEN!"

Maria: "GPX YELLOW!"

Hitomi: "GPX PINK!"

Rob: "GPX SILVER!

Pola-Killer stood there for a moment, confused. "Oh, um, Pola-Killer."

"Yeah, I hate this part, too," said Sean. "Anyway, "DO THE IMPOSSIBLE! SEE THE INVISIBLE!"

" _Choushinsei!_ "

" _FLASHMAN!_ "

" _POWER RANGERS! GPX!_ "

Explosions punctuated the moment, complete with all 12 Rangers shouting " _WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK WE ARE!?_ " If you're not listening to DragonForce or any other Power Metal band, start listening; NOW. Or, just listen to the  _Power Rangers_ theme (the author recommends Masaaki Endoh).

Rashon was calm. Unlike Phedos (who dealt with the same thing), he had no reason to worry. "Tell your troops to attack," he said.

"GET THEM!" Kalderon shouted. The Swabots and soldiers rushed forward.

"UNTO THE BREACH, DEAR FRIENDS!" Sean shouted. "JUST TAKE OUT AS MANY AS YOU CAN! When we have a chance, I'll start giving more instructions!" In that moment, Maria took Sean's hand. In response, he took Hitomi's hand, she took Kevin's hand and this whole thing spread. The GPX, Flash Rangers and Pola-Killer held hands and started to move forward. They broke into a run and then, when they got close, they broke off, paired up with their counterparts and started to fight.

Sean took a big cut at a Swabot, ducked under a Zordonian soldier and let Jon thrust the pommel of his sword into the man's gut. He sliced a Swabot in half and then kicked one at Jon, who stabbed the Swabot. Then Jon blocked a Swabot's sword, which allowed Sean to stab it in the gut. Sean blocked a soldier's punch with his foot and Jon finished him off with a boot to the head. Then Jon jumped off a car and kicked a Swabot right at Sean, who finished it off by stabbing it right in the gut.

Kevin wound up his leg and gave FB (Flash Blue)'s crystal ball form a kick. The ball bounced around, taking out Swabots and soldiers like a pinball machine. Then FB turned back and kicked a soldier into Kevin's fist. Then Kevin ran up and jumped off a wall to kick a Swabot, which FB kicked in the face, knocking its head off. He blocked a Swabot punch and then kneed it in the gut while Kevin grabbed it and tackled it to the ground like a Rugger. Then they grabbed hands, ran forward and clotheslined the Swabots.

Aaron goaded a soldier and then led him away from the fighting. Suddenly, FG (Flash Green) jumped up and with his crystal gauntlets punched the soldier in the gut. He jumped away from the car and then ducked underneath a Swabot that Aaron kicked in the face. Aaron grabbed a soldier and handed him off to FG. FG tripped the soldier up and then punched a Swabot right in the head. He kicked a Swabot over to Aaron, who took a big swing with his axe that chopped the robot in half.

Maria hacked and slashed with her daggers while FY (I hope you're beginning to sense a pattern here) tenderized the Swabots with her batons. She thrust her dagger into the Swabot, then kicked a soldier that had snuck up on FY. FY returned the favor, knocking a soldier off that tried to shoot Maria. Then Maria launched FY with her hands and FY landed among more Swabots where she spun around like a ballerina to knock the Swabots and soldiers down. Then Maria leapt in and thrust her daggers into a Swabot that had snuck up on FY. It never had a chance.

Once again, Hitomi and FP hit it off swimmingly. Hitomi flipped around while FP finished the job. FP leapt up in the air and then when she saw the time right, came back down and smashed several Swabots. Hitomi shoved the blunt end of her staff into the face of soldier that was still standing. Then she spun around and knocked a Swabot over to FP and FP delivered a mighty kick with her crystallized boots. Hitomi then vaulted FP up into the air and FP came down and sent the soldiers and Swabots running.

When a Zordonian officer tried to challenge Pola-Killer as a traitor, Rob stepped in and kicked the officer in the gut. The officer fell backwards but his other soldiers rushed in. Pola-Killer swatted them to the side and Rob rushed in to finish them off. Then Rob kicked the officer in the solar plexus. The officer recovered, throwing a punch at Rob. Rob blocked the attack and countered with a punch to the face. Then Pola-Killer grabbed the officer and tossed him into the air. "Nice toss," said Rob.

"Thanks," said Pola-Killer. "Oh, I'm sorry, who are?"

"I'm Rob," he replied. "I'm the Red Ranger's brother-in-law. And you?"

"I used to work for the Zordonians," Pola-Killer replied. "The Rangers helped me defect."

"Oh," said Rob.

" _Everyone, come in!_ " he suddenly heard Sean's voice in his communicator.

"I hear you Sean," said Rob.

"Good, cuz I'm only gonna say this once," said Sean. "We need some structure here. Rob, Poley, you guys go after Gargotron!"

" _Got it!_ "

"Kevin, Flash Blue, you guys go after Hercuron!"

"Flash Blue won't stand a chance!" said Jon. "What about Flash Green?"

"Then again, Kevin, you and Flash Green take on Hercuron!"

" _WHAT!?_ "

"THAT'S AN ORDER!" Sean shouted. "Aaron, Flash Blue, you take the perimeter, anything trying to get out, you turn 'em back in or smash 'em!"

" _Understood!_ " said Aaron.

"Maria, Flash Yellow, you two take the same, just do it to the south! Hitomi, get up on one of those buildings, you and Flash Pink will give us some air support!"

"What about us?" asked Jon.

"We take on the big guns," said Sean. "And before I forget, if any of Rashon's inner circle come after you, YOU TAKE 'EM DOWN! NOW LET'S DO THIS!" Sean and Jon wasted no time as they heard the responses on the other end. They rushed for the steps of city hall to where Rashon and Kalderon were.

They tried to ram through the Swabots and soldiers, but they stopped them right in their tracks. As Sean tried to bust through, he kept getting stifled by the enemy. In this moment, Sean could not control his mouth. "RASHON! I CHALLENGE YOU!"

The enemies stopped. Rashon raised his eyebrow at Sean. "What?" he asked.

"I challenge you, Rashon! One on one combat! If I win, you get the hell off our planet!"

Rashon stroked his jaw. He was seriously considering it. "And if I win?"

"Then we'll  _still_ fight your forces!" Sean replied.

Rashon threw his head back and laughed. Kalderon had to wonder what his Emperor was thinking. "You managed to turn this into a win-win situation! Impressive! For that, I accept both your challenge and your terms!"

"My Emperor, I must object," said Kalderon.

"Worry not, Kalderon," said Rashon. "I have no intention of losing. And I do apologize for ruining your victory, but I am bound by his challenge. Release them!"

The enemies broke their hold on Sean and Jon. Jon looked to see Rob and Pola-Killer engaged with Gargotron. Kevin and Flash Green were mixing it up with Hercuron and Maria and Flash Yellow had begun to fight to the south. Rashon removed his cape and summoned his crystal sword as he approached Sean.

Sean took in a deep breath. Jon patted him on the shoulder. "I will fight Kalderon," he said. Sean nodded. "I admire your bravery."

"Thanks, I guess," said Sean. He lifted his sword up as Rashon approached him. They stared each other down, playing mind games with each other. They would not relinquish the first move.

Suddenly, Rashon attacked Sean. Sean blocked the attack and went back against Rashon, aggressively swinging his sword with precision. He aimed for Rashon's chest. Rashon parried the attack and took a nasty backhanded swing at Sean. Sean jumped out of the way, then launched himself at Rashon, thrusting the tip of his blade at the Emperor. The Emperor blocked the attack and the two descended into intense man-to-man combat.

Kalderon felt sick to his stomach, so he was caught off guard when Jon thrust his sword at him. However, he got out of the way and blocked Jon's attack. Then Jon went after him, again. It was almost as if Jon knew Kalderon was ailing, so he began to get even more aggressive. It wasn't long before he had Kalderon on the defensive, swinging away at his Zordonian enemy. Kalderon had no idea what hit him.

Flash Pink had jumped up and left Hitomi on the roof of City Hall. From there, they could see the entire battlefield. Sean and Rashon were locked in combat in the plaza, as were Jon and Kalderon. Flash pink pointed out some enemies approaching. Hitomi summoned her bow and jammed her key into it. She drew it back and let it go. The enemies exploded easily. The two celebrated, but when Hitomi noticed more, Flash Pink jumped off the building and stomped on the enemies.

Rob blocked Gargotron's punch and then he caught the robot's next punch. He strained to hold the robot's arms in place as best he could. At that moment, Pola-Killer took a big swipe out of Gargotron. The robot was angry. Gargotron charged Pola-Killer. He collided with the polar bear monster and the two were like sumo wrestlers, trying to bring the other down. Then, Pola-Killer lifted Gargotron up, much to Rob's amazement. However, Gargotron elbowed Pola-Killer and forced him to drop him.

The Zordonian brute Hercuron grabbed Flash Green by the neck and shoulders and tried to push him into the ground. The Flash strongman tried to stay up, but Hercuron was too strong. Just then, Hercuron was tackled and thrown to the ground by Kevin. The brute roared and attacked Kevin, taking a big swipe at him. Flash Green grabbed Hercuron's arm and with the opening Kevin wound up his arm and followed through with a fantastic punch right to Hercuron's exposed face.

Maria danced around the Swabots and soldiers to the south. FY's batons knocked them out as they were distracted. Then Maria summoned her daggers and rushed the enemies. She slashed the Swabots and knocked out the soldiers. FY's batons flew past her, and they took out some soldiers that had snuck up on her. Naturally Maria was a little peeved, but she was grateful. Then Maria repaid FY by throwing her daggers at some Swabots that had snuck up on her. "We really need to communicate," said Maria.

To the north, Flash Blue leapt off one of the buildings, taking a Swabot with him. Aaron cleaned up below, smashing them with his axe. But he also jumped around, just like Flash Blue. He spun around and took our several Swabots in the mean time, then ran up the wall, vaulted off of it and let Flash Blue fly in to give a soldier a flying kick. Blue blocked a Swabot punch with his foot, then elbowed the robot in the face. Aaron finished it off, jump reverse roundhouse kicking it in the face.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

Meanwhile, the battle was being watched in every house, every bar, every restaurant and every office around the world. Those who were not aware of the Power Rangers or the invasion were confused, while people who did know tried to explain. Eyes were glued to the TV sets, watching the battle unfold.

In the US, every cable news company was broadcasting the event. Typical of each they covered it their own way; one was purely speculating, another thought it was a hoax and the other just followed it as it happened. On one channel, the anchor was talking before she mentioned something had come up. " _We have a statement now from an anonymous source,_ " she said, " _It reads, 'Today is the day that decides the fate of humanity. We will either be free or subject to slavery. While you may watch helplessly, there are those who hold the ability to make that decision right now._

" _They are fighting for you. They are, in fact, just like you. They are ordinary people thrust into an extraordinary situation. They do not demand your admiration or respect. However, they need all the support they can get. They are the Power Rangers. And they are here to save us all._ "

Bridget smiled as she watched the anchor. Being a public relations professional, she knew how to write up a PR statement. The image changed back to the battle unfolding and she watched with her heart pounding.

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

Sean felt the blow to his helmet. As he fell, his helmet popped off his head. A bit of his hair got in his vision before he recovered and blocked Rashon's sword. He threw it off and the kicked Rashon and tried to reverse roundhouse kick him. Rashon blocked the roundhouse kick and tried to flip him backwards, but Sean landed on his feet. He rushed forward, thrusting his sword at Rashon, but the Emperor kicked him in the chest. Sean could feel the pain as Rashon approached him.

Even though he was suffering from what he thought was food poisoning from Terran food, Kalderon was still formidable against Flash Red. He had the alien Red Ranger on the defensive. Jon tried to block Kalderon's attacks, but Kalderon took a big cut at Jon. Sparks flew from the Ranger and he crashed into the door of City Hall. Kalderon walked up to him and prepared to bring his sword down on him. However, Jon kicked Kalderon in the shin to make him stop.

"Hitomi, there's a large force coming from the north!" Flash Pink called from above. She came down from the air and grabbed Hitomi. She jumped up again, allowing Hitomi to take aim at the force. Said force was large; enough that Hitomi hesitated before drawing an arrow. She let it fly and the arrow exploded above the force. Unfortunately, she had to pull another arrow to shoot the force with. She tried to stop the enemy's reinforcement's but in the end, she had to warn Aaron of them.

Aaron indeed got the message and noticed them coming. He and Flash Blue now faced some difficult decisions. However, the decision was made for them when the enemy force attacked. Aaron fought several off, while Flash Blue backed him up. Flash Blue threw a punch at the Swabots, but they were starting to swarm the two. Flash Blue threw a kick, but it was caught by a soldier. The soldier countered by throwing Flash Blue into Aaron and the two collided with each other.

Maria and Flash Yellow were forced to abandon their position to the south to go and back the other two up. However, to their dismay, there were more enemies coming from the south. They had to stick around as well. Maria stabbed and hacked at the Swabots. FY kept whacking the soldiers. The two switched places and kept going. The soldiers and Swabots began to overwhelm them, too. However, they kept going as best they could, but things were not looking good at all.

Kevin blocked Hercuron's punch. Flash Green grabbed Hercuron and tried to pull him away from Kevin. Hercuron, however, grabbed Flash Green and lifted him up and ebnt him like Bane did to Batman. He was about to bring him down on his knee, but Kevin tackled him to stop him. When Kevin got off Hercuron grabbed him and tossed him to the side. Flash Green tried to punch him in the face, but Hercuron blocked the punch, grabbed Flash Green and tossed him as well.

Rob felt the pain when Gargotron slammed him to the pavement. The robot pushed him into the pavement, but then Pola-Killer grabbed him off of Rob. However Gargotron turned around and then punched Pola-Killer in the gut. Rob had gotten back up and started taunting Gargotron. That did not work. The robot just whacked him in the head. Pola-Killer took a big swipe at Gargotron, but the robot blocked the swipe and launched a missile at the former monster.

When he went down, Sean felt Rashon kick him in the gut. He groaned, curling up into a fetal position. As he looked away, he saw the situation. Hitomi was desperately trying to stop the reinforcements from coming, as were Aaron and Maria. Kevin and Rob were outmatched by Hercuron and Gargotron respectively.

He closed his eyes in despair. They were going to lose. He felt Rashon grab his seatbelt strap and pull him up to his knees. "I am Rashon III, Emperor of Zordon," he said. "I rule the largest empire in the entire galaxy. Thousands of species, and trillions of individuals bow before me and tremble at my name. I have enough power to vaporize this entire planet instantly. Did you actually believe you could stop me?"

"It was worth a try," said Sean.

That's when he heard someone talking in his earpiece. " _SEAN!_ " the person called. " _GET OFF YOUR KNEES AND FIGHT, YOU IDIOT!_ "

"Bridge?" he asked. "How'd you get in my earpiece?

" _FORGET ABOUT THAT AND GET TO WORK!_ "

"Your sister?" Rashon laughed. "I suppose she will go first… or last, depending on my mood."

Big mistake. Sean growled and glared at Rashon. Just then, he grabbed Rashon's leg and pulled the Emperor out from under his feet. "Don't even think about it," he said.

Rashon got back up and whacked him in the face. "You are arrogant," said Rashon. "Now then, I might as well finish you off!" He raised his sword at him.

Sean looked to find his sword. "I have a dream," he said. "I want to play some hockey. But you… you stand in my way."

"Trying to motivate yourself now, are we?" said Rashon. "I will let you say your words. They will not matter in the 'big picture'."

Sean ignored him. "You guys have put a huge dent in my plans. I want to go and do what I want to do. And to do that, I have to go to Madison, Wisconsin."

"Too bad!" said Rashon. "Now DIE, RED RANGER!" He swung his sword, going for the kill.

 _CLANG!_  Sean had blocked the attack. He glared at Rashon, his teeth bared in a ferocious manner. "You guys are pissing me off!" He said. "I want to pursue my dream! Is that too much to ask? You bastards are standing in the way of my dream! With the help of my friends, I am going to achieve my dream, and goddammit, I WANNA GET TO MADISON!" He threw Rashon off and stood up. He began to feel a surge of energy coming from the suit.

"You've destroyed entire worlds. You've enslaved trillions of people. You may have conquered a good deal of our galaxy, but it ends  _here._  You picked the wrong planet to mess with. Not only that, you picked the wrong  _people_ to mess with. You harassed us, broke us up, beat us to a pulp, and made our lives a living hell! NOW IT'S TIME FOR PAYBACK!"

"What are you saying?" said Rashon.

"I'm saying everyone who picked a fight with people like us lost," said Sean. "You'll see it in another universe. No matter who they are, be they witch or galactic conqueror, the result was the same; THEY LOST! AND THAT'S YOUR FATE AS WELL!" Suddenly, he felt a massive surge of energy coming from his suit. The power spread to the others and they felt their adrenaline flowing even faster than before.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

At SWORD headquarters, this was nothing new. But even they were amazed at what was happening. The Rangers' power was beginning to increase multi-fold. The headquarters was in a frenzy, trying to figure out what was going on. Their power levels were  _OVER_ _ **NINE THOU**_ _ **SAAAAANNNDDD!**_ "

"Holy shit!" said Maelstrom. "How is that even possible?!"

"It is part of the power," said Dr. Wilhelm Morris, one of the men who designed the suits. "He just tapped into the Morphing Grid."

"I didn't know it had that kind of power," said Maelstrom.

"It does in this world," said Dr. Morris. Maelstrom didn't know what Dr. Morris meant, but he ignored it and went back to watching the battle. To his right, Col. Greene could only help but smile.

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

"Your conquest ended as soon as you picked a fight with us, Rashon!" Sean bellowed. "You're gonna PAY for everything you've done! And now  _YOU'RE_ gonna lose, just like the rest of the guys who challenged people like us!  _MESSIN' WITH THE POWER RANGERS_ _ **IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE**_ _ **YOU'VE EVER MADE!**_ "

"Is that so?" said Rashon, "Then why don't you prove it and—"

_POW!_

Rashon was cut off by Sean's fist, which sent him flying into the Orlando City Hall. "COME ON, YOU SAILOR MOON RIP-OFF, THIS FIGHT AIN'T OVER!" Sean shouted.

Inspired by Sean's recovery, Jon got aggressive. He started attacking Kalderon with more vigor. He had Kalderon on the defensive. Kalderon blocked his attacks as best he could, but Jon landed a couple of blows, sending sparks flying. When Kalderon landed, he knew something was wrong. He struggled to get up, sweating, exhausted and barely able to stand. As if to even the fight, Jon tossed his sword, but when he landed a mighty blow on Kalderon, it became clear the general was finished.

For some reason, Maria felt the new energy of the suit first. However, she didn't focus on that, she just wound her arm up and punched a Swabot,k smashing it to pieces. With this new energy, she and Flash Yellow were rejuvenated, kicking ass and taking names. The Swabots exploded and the soldiers fell like raindrops. Maria slid under Flash Yellow, and then delivered a powerful kick to a Swabot. Flash Yellow jumped and reverse roundhouse kicked a soldier that had snuck up on Maria.

Kevin began to scream like his Celtic ancestors as he felt the energy. Flash Green also felt his adrenaline going and the two started to fight back against Hercuron. Kevin spun around and delivered a reverse roundhouse kick with his left foot. Then Flash Green punched Hercuron in the face. The Zordonian brute stumbled backwards before Kevin jumped in and kicked him in the face. As he fell backwards, Flash Green picked him up and then piledrove him into the pavement.

This was the first time Aaron had ever tapped into his suit, so when the adrenaline kicked in, he was surprised. But a hard, smashing punch to a Swabot changed that. Flash Blue was also impressed and he too was energized by Aaron's new power. They fought harder and faster, taking out so many of the enemies, that reinforcements had to come from the south. They spun around and fought back. Aaron roundhouse kicked a Swabot in the head and Flash Blue finished it off with a punch.

As for Hitomi, she wasn't exactly affected by strength so much as the power of her arrow. She let one fly that when it hit its target, it took out about 50 more enemies. Also feeling the energy, Flash Pink jumped off the roof of City Hall, flew in and drove threw the reinforcements from the north, then she flew back up to act as a watch for Hitomi. She spotted another force coming from the south. Hitomi notched an arrow and let it fly, this one also taking out a multitude of enemies.

And now we finally get to Rob. The Marine Silver Ranger delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to Gargotron that stunned the robot. He stumbled backwards right when Pola-Killer delivered a massive blow to the robot's back. The robot slumped forward, right as Rob elbowed him in the head. Then he took his Silver Sword and jabbed it right into Gargotron. Pola-Killer then grabbed the robot's head and began to twist. Gargotron tried to resist, but it was proving to be futile.

"LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GONNA BE LEAVING PRETTY SOON, RASHON!" Sean shouted as he thrust his sword at Rashon. He grabbed his helmet and put it back on. Rashon blocked the attack but then Sean delivered a powerful right-legged side kick that sent the Zordonian Emperor flying. Rashon recovered and launched himself at Sean, thrusting his sword at Sean. Sean blocked the strike, then parried it and kicked Rashon again. Rashon had no idea he could be this strong!

Kalderon's woes continued. By now, Jon had been joined by one Daisuke Miyazawa, who had shown up a little late but still on time for the party. Wielding a katana, Daisuke attacked Kalderon, swinging his sword in the general's direction. Then Jon rushed in, adding a few more thrusts and strikes. His sword connected with Kalderon, sending sparks flying. Then Daisuke's katana hit Kalderon as well, but it drew blood. Kalderon staggered, but it was clear he was about to die.

Hitomi let another arrow fly from the top of City Hall. Flash Pink swooped down, finishing off what Hitomi could not hit. Another arrow flew. It hit a Swabot and electricity flew out from the arrow, which zapped the Swabots. Flash Pink took out the soliders, kicking them all about, her prism boots doing the job. Hitomi let another arrow fly. This one flying right through a Swabot and then Flash Pink flew up into the air and came down, her boots hit the ground and the enemies fell.

"LIGHTNING THROW!" Maria shouted, throwing her daggers at the enemies. Lightning shot out when they hit their targets, which fried the Swabots. Flash Yellow Finished the job, pounding the soldiers into submission, then leaving it up from Maria to do her thing. Maria jumped and kicked a soldier, and then she swept a couple off their feet. Flash Yellow then kicked a soldier in the chest and then kicked one in the face. She let Maria finish them off; delivering a reverse roundhouse kick that took them out.

Aaron delivered a swift and powerful side kick to an enemy soldier. Then Flash Blue punched out a Swabot. The wreckage of Swabots and moaning soldiers lay around them. They were just about done. Aaron spun and delivered a roundhouse kick to a soldier, then Flash Blue finished up with a punch to the that same soldier. Flash Blue then jumped onto the wall of the building, jumped off and tackled the enemies to the ground. Then Aaron flopped on his back and elbowed a soldier.

By now Kevin and Flash Green pretty much had Hercuron beat. Kevin had his arms wrapped around Hercuron and was trying to bring the brute down. "I AM GOING TO SMASH YOU!" Hercuron shouted. A punch from Flash Green shut him up. Then Flash Green side kicked Hercuron. Dazed, the Zordonian strongman was a more easy victim for Kevin… although not without much difficulty. However, with Flash Green's help, Kevin was able to bring the strongman down.

Although Gargotron was released from Pola-Killer's grip, Rob was still slashing and pounding away at him. Sparks flew from the robot and a few more blows from Pola-Killer signaled he was done for. Rob pressed a few buttons on his morpher and the Silver Sword began to charge. Rob raised the sword—now turned into the Silver Blaster—and took aim, he waited for Pola-Killer to get out of the way. Then he fired a shot that hit Gargotron. The robot fell and exploded.

"LOOK AROUND YOU!" Sean shouted while his and Rashon's blades were locked. "YOU'RE FINISHED!" Hercuron had fallen. Gargotron was destroyed. The waves of enemy soldiers had fallen by a combined effort from Flash and GPX Rangers. And in another show of humiliation, Kalderon was about to fall.

Rashon watched helplessly as Kalderon was unceremoniously stabbed by both Daisuke and Jon. He keeled over, the injuries and poison taking their tolls. Rashon lowered his head as he knew Kalderon had fallen. I will not lose to you, Red Ra—"  _PUNCH!_

"Oh, really, now?" asked Maria. Then, Flash Yellow came in and punched Rashon. He staggered, but then Aaron and Flash Blue flew in, jumping around before they hit him in the back. He tried to fight back, but two Rangers—Kevin and Flash Green—tackled him and brought him to the ground. He threw them off and got back up, only to feel a bear paw hit him in the face, and then a kick from the Silver Ranger in the gut. Then, an arrow hit him in the back and prism boots hit him in the same spot.

Finally, Jon and Daisuke rushed in and hit him with their swords.

Rashon stumbled, trying to stay up. "Rich Boy! Pola-Killer! Take care of the mayor!" said Sean. The two nodded and ran inside.

"Well, are you going to finish me off?" asked Rashon.

"OF COURSE WE ARE!" Sean shouted. "IT'S THE END OF THE LINE FOR YOU, RASHON!"

"Rolling Vulcan!" Jon shouted. The Flash Rangers summoned their cannon.

"SUPERCHARGE!" Sean shouted. The GPX Rangers pulled out their keys and jammed them into their weapons.

"Yellow Flash, search!" said Jon.

"Okay!" said Yellow Flash. She looked into the targeting computer. "Locked on!" she said.

"Alright! ROLLING VULCAN!" The Rolling Vulcan fired its multi-colored beam.

"FIRE!" Sean shouted. The GPX Rangers let their attacks fly.

Both attacks hit Rashon, and he screamed in pain. However, he got back up again. His stance was primal and his expression defiant. "If you want this to work, you must defeat me on your own, Red Ranger!"

"Is there a rule against me finishing you off?" asked Sean.

Rashon thought for a moment. He had a chance to lie, but in the end, "No."

"Great!" he said. He jammed his key into his sword. He raised it into the air. Its blade began to glow red. Then he crouched down and launched himself at the Emperor. "GT _ **STRRRIIIIIIIKKKKKE!**_ "

Rashon swung his sword at the exact same time Sean's attack hit him. Sparks flew from both of them. Sean skidded to a stop and his helmet flew off. He stayed still for a moment, as did Rashon. Nobody knew what had just happened. Did Rashon win or had Sean pulled off the miracle upset? They waited. In bars, households and public squares around the world, people watched. Their eyes were glued with nervousness and hope. Had they really done it? Had they saved the world?

They stayed still for several moments. Sean coughed, but stayed on his feet. Rashon smiled for a moment, but then sparks began to fly from him. The world watched as Sean posed in confident victory and Rashon fell to the ground. A massive explosion erupted on the steps of Orlando City Hall.

Sean and Jon did not hesitate. They spun around and ran back over to Rashon. Sean pulled out his blaster and pointed it and the GT Sword at Rashon. Jon only pointed his sword. Rashon looked up at both of them. A thought about tricking them and fighting back crossed his mind, but it left. The Rangers would have gone after him. He swallowed, staring both of the Rangers in the eyes. Neither of them moved. "Checkered flag, Rashon," said Sean.

In that moment, Rashon raised his hands up. "You win, Red Ranger," he said. "I shall take my leave.

Sean coughed. He let out another sharp breath. His eyes began to widen. He stumbled, almost unable to stand. However, he felt Jon's hand on his shoulder. "GPX Red, what's wrong?" he asked.

"We won," Sean said in quiet realization. Jon took his helmet off and he had the same expression as Sean. "We won," Sean said with a laugh. Even Jon had a smile on his face. Neither of them could contain themselves. They gripped each other, realizing what had just happened. "We won!" said Sean.

"We won!" Jon repeated. The two devolved into a laughing fit, barely able to contain themselves. At this moment, they turned around.

"WWWWWEEEEEEEEEEE WWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNN!" Sean shouted.

IT WAS OVER! The other Rangers, in their excitement, rushed the steps, throwing off their helmets, jumping up and down and throwing their fists in the air. Maria was there first, jumping into Sean's arms, followed by everyone else, looking like they'd just won the World Series. At Sean's encouragement, the Flash Rangers soon joined in this one big group hug.

At TV sets all around the world, people cheered at the Rangers' victory. A massive feeling of relief spread through the entire world as these eleven ordinary people had just done something no one though possible. Even on the news networks, you could hear the production crew cheering in the background and a few of the anchors fighting back their will to celebrate.

At SWORD base, the party had begun, the champagne was popped and hooting and hollering filled the control room. The agents congratulated Dr. Morris, who enjoyed the moment, soaking it up and having some bubbly. Maelstrom applauded, a big smile crossing his face. As he turned to his right, he put his hand on Col. Greene's shoulder.

The man who'd done so much for Project Ranger was crying. Not tears of sadness, but of pure and utter joy. He smiled at Maelstrom and watched as the Rangers he'd come to see has his very own celebrated a victory that was so desperately needed.

At the Rangers' household, however, it was a different story. Bridget was screaming at the top of her lungs, thanking the Goddesses and Sean himself for what just happened. Even the caustic and crass Tommy had gotten in on the act, cheering for his older. Over in Japan, Godai-san and Hikari had started a massive celebration in their restaurant, proudly declaring that the Pink Ranger was a friend of theirs (without revealing Hitomi's identity, of course).

As Daisuke and Pola-Killer exited City Hall, they noticed the massive group hug. Pola-Killer knew what had happened instantly and rushed to join the others. Mayor Dyer looked at Daisuke, who simply smiled at him.

The chant of " _POW-WER RANG-GERS_ " was heard, along with the cheering of a mutliude of grateful Orlando residents. Mayor Dyer was tempted to join them, but instead a wide smile broke out and he applauded the Rangers, thankful they had saved his city.

The Rangers, however, ignored all of them. As they chanted to celebrate their victory, they could be thankful for every little battle they'd fought and every friend they made. They truly deserved this victory. The Earth was saved! They had done it!  _They,_  just a few people who'd been brought together by circumstance, had done the impossible.

THEY HAD WON!

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:


	18. Victory Lane

Power Rangers GPX, Episode 34: Victory Lane

:-:-:-: We're the best chance, for humanity, Power Rangers G-P-X, let's go! :-:-:-:

Nothing left Rashon with a deeper feeling of shame like this. Here he was, the ruler of one-tenth of the entire galaxy, the only one who could make the Galactic Alliance tremble in their boots, who had thousands of species and trillions of individuals at his very command, was humiliated and defeated by a backwater planet that should have been easy to conquer.

In the end, however, Eltar was right. The Earth had formidable defenses, mainly in the form of five—make that eleven now—young humans who had no fear whatsoever of him. They did not care if he did rule one-tenth of the galaxy and whatnot. In the end, he suspected it may have been his downfall. The rest of the galaxy had ignored the Earth for so long they hadn't even bothered to make contact in 4.6 billion years of existence.

Even though a few Terrans had made it off their planet (and indeed the Juraian Emperor was rumored to be human) and a few aliens were already on this planet, the galaxy treated Earth like a no man's land.

Or perhaps, that's what proved to be his downfall.

They did not care of the Zordonians originated on Earth and decided to find their planet again and take it back for themselves. It just seemed selfish to them. Of course, demanding that they keep their otherwise meaningless planet must have been good motivation for them.

As Rashon stood in front of his shuttle, he looked up from the ground at Sean O'Callahan, the leader of these humans who resisted the might of the Zordonian Empire. Next to him was Jon, the leader of another group of Rangers that also originated on Earth, but were secretly taken away from their planet and raised on the Flash worlds. Bent on revenge, they followed them back but now they had contributed to his defeated.

The Juraians were going to laugh at him for this.

Sean stepped forward and approached Rashon. "Are you sure about this?" Jon whispered in his ear.

"Yeah, of course I am," said Sean. "I think I know how the Doctor's speech went, let me see if I remember it. Okay, I think I do." He remembered the words from the  _Doctor Who_ episode he was thinking about, then he cleared his throat and began to speak.

"By the ancient galactic rites of combat, I forbid you, Rashon III of Zordon, from conquering here for the rest of time," said Sean. Rashon heard those words and immediately he felt the pain of what they meant. Sean continued. "And when you go back to the stars, tell others of this planet. When you tell them of its riches, its people, its potential, when you talk of the Earth, make sure you tell them this:

"It. Is!  _DEFENDED!_ "

Rashon sucked in his breath as the Terrans cheered at Sean's words. He had no choice. He was utterly humiliated and defeated, after all. The only way to save face was to leave. He nodded his head. "I, Rashon III of Zordon, agree to your terms," he said. "I shall leave this planet and tell the rest of the galaxy of this planet."

Sean nodded as Rashon turned around. As Emepror, he kept his poise and dignity as he walked aboard the shuttle. Liaria could only weep. Eltar was sullen and downtrodden and Hercuron only seethed. They followed their Emperor onto the shuttle. The landing hatch closed and the Zordonians departed, never to return.

The shuttle returned to the Zordonian ship orbiting Earth, Rashon stepped off, saluting his men and Swabots who had come to greet him. However, he said nothing. Then he saw Tirna standing in the hangar. "What is the meaning of this?"

"I have suffered the humiliation of defeat," said Rashon, "And the Rangers invoked the rites of combat. By their terms, we must depart." Tirna did not respond. Instead, the general watched as Rashon and his inner circle left the hangar for Rashon's throne room.

"Set a course for Zordon," said Rashon. "I suspect the only ones who wish to learn of this planet are the ones who mean them no harm."

"At once, my Emperor," said an aide. No doubt the rest of the galaxy had heard of his defeat. The Juraians knew of the defeat of Phaedos pretty quickly, after all. He sat down in his throne and now that he was alone with his inner circle, he broke down with his head in his hands, finally coming to grips with his defeat.

"I apologize," said Eltar.

"My love—" Liaria said before cutting herself off. Rashon sat back in his throne and sighed. Then, in a big surprise, he smiled.

"Why don't we go back down there?" asked Hercuron. "They didn't even know about the rites of combat, what if they pulled this—"

"The humiliation I just suffered alone is enough," said Rashon. "Even if they did not, what just happened to us made us a laughing stock in the eyes of the galaxy. We had no choice but to leave."

"But Rashon, this is sheer madness—" Liaria began before Rashon politely cut her off,

"Perhaps our conquering days are over," he said. "I will keep my word and tell the galaxy of Earth and I will tell them that the only ones who should approach it are those who mean no harm to them. Otherwise, I fear the worst for them."

"I shall prepare a speech, Brother," said Eltar.

"Do that, Eltar," said Rashon. "Now let's go home." Eltar nodded and Rashon sat back, eager to return to Zordon.

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

The anchor looked at the camera. She waited for the floor producer to give the cue. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six," he stopped counting out loud for the final fix seconds and then cued it up to the anchor. The red light on top of the camera went on, the teleprompter began moving and the anchor started to speak.

" _It has been 24 hours since what is now being called the 'Battle of Orlando', where 11 superheroes calling themselves 'Power Rangers' saved the city of Orlando from what is now being called an Extraterrestrial attack. Scientists and officials have been forced to admit that we are not alone in the universe. However, the force that attacked us, the Zordonian Empire, has declared they will not return, and will make sure the only parties who will come into contact with us are parties who mean us no harm._

" _One of the bodies recovered from Orlando City Hall, that of the Zordonian general Kalderon, has been noted to resemble the German industrialist and billionaire Marcus Schneider. Schneider's body was discovered in his mansion outside of Munich. Because of the state of decay, it's believed his body had been rotting in his mansion for several weeks, which may have coincided with his appearance in Orlando. The UN is saying it's possible Kalderon was impersonating Schneider._

" _Meanwhile, questions are being raised about the Power Rangers; who they are and where they went. Any and all images of their faces have disappeared, and media outlets have no explanation for this. However, that does not mean all feelings towards the Power Rangers are negative._

" _Across the globe, tributes and thank-you letters to the Power Rangers are flowing in. Thank-you cards and songs are being dedicated to them, even quotes from the theme song of the 1993 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers' TV show, which is said to have inspired the Power Rangers name._

" _One person who was critical of the Power Rangers, Ben Dreck, has apologized for his criticism, saying that he was unaware of the good deeds they were performing for the people of Ear_ —" Col Green turned the TV off and looked back at the brass in the Pentagon. The officers remained silent, unwilling to really ask Col. Greene any questions. However, his expression was one that said, 'I told you so."

"So… now what?" asked one of the officers.

"Now, we'll have to see," said Col. Greene. "I doubt the rest of the galaxy is going to come after us, but if any other force does come to conquer us, we have a trick up our sleeves."

"Are they even enough?" asked another general. "We just sent a message to the rest of the galaxy that we're not push overs. Suppose someone takes the Red Ranger's warning as a challenge?"

"We have enough trainees that we could potentially make an army out of them," said Col. Greene. "However, I hope we never have to use them."

"Are you sure?" asked another general. "Are we going to have to discontinue Project Ranger?"

"The risks are too great," said Col. Greene. "Instead, we'll keep it in a sort of hibernation until the situation requires them to act as Power Rangers, whether it's an external or internal threat."

"So where are they now?" asked a general. "Any and all evidence of who they are is in the hands of SWORD, how do we know what they're up to?"

"Leave them alone," said Col. Greene. "They deserve to return to the private life, even if it's temporary in the long run. Besides, I'm sure they're having fun."

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

"DISNEY WOAD!" Allie shouted in excitement as Sean carried her under the railroad bridge. Yes, the author did say they weren't going there, but who gives a crap? The Rangers deserve it. As he crossed into the hopping park, he held Maria's hand as an expression of excitement was on their faces.

Hitomi, Aaron, Kevin, Rob, Tommy, Bridget and Cassie followed. Bridget looked back and beckoned someone else to come with them. "Come on!" she said with a smile. "Don't be afraid! It's alright!"

Out came the Flash Rangers, now wearing Earth clothes. They were nervous, naturally, having to wear the GPX Rangers' spare clothes—oh wait, no, they weren't nervous about that, they were nervous about actually getting the chance to be human for once.

They'd grown up on distant planets, far from the joys of being kids. Now they were given a chance to be kids without acting childish. The GPX Rangers rushed over to them and physically encouraged them, shoving them or taking their hands and dragging them into the park.

They ran down Main Street USA, heading for Cinderella Castle. Even though the park was busy, it wasn't busy for the standards of the time of year. Of course, the Orlando region is still recovering from the attack and battle, not everyone has had a chance to really get to Disney World.

That just made this day even better. They had the place almost to themselves!

The GPX Rangers pulled the Flash Rangers in front of Cinderella Castle. Allie and Tommy joined them, and so did Rob. "Alright, everyone look at the camera!" said Bridget. The GPX Rangers posed like college-age young adults would. Hitomi even flashed a pair of peace signs at the camera. The Flash Rangers, well, they weren't sure what to do. They just stood around while Bridget took a couple of pictures.

Then it was the GPX Rangers' turn. This photo would go on Facebook for everyone to see, since showing the Flash Rangers probably wasn't the best idea. Bridget took another photo of the team and then it was down to individual photos.

Hitomi took one, Aaron did too, so did Kevin, Sean, Maria and Rob. They took photos in pairs. Sean carried Maria like a bride and even one where she kissed him. After several of these photos, the O'Callahan/Jackson family took one last photo before they all split up.

First Sean took Jon to Frontierland where he made the other Red Ranger ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. While Sean was having a blast, Jon was begging to get off the ride… until the end, when he demanded to ride again. Sean agreed, but only to ride on Space Mountain.

Kevin took Flash Blue, named Bon, over to Adventureland on the Jungle Cruise line. However, they pretty much regretted it, having to sit through the tour guide's horrendous puns and stupid jokes. Kevin made it better by telling Bon some much funnier, Oscar Wilde-esque jokes that fit the ride.

Aaron ignored that ride, thinking it was too stupid. Instead, he and Flash Green, Kei, went to Splash Mountain. This time it was Kai who had to get Aaron ready for the ride, since he was pretty much scared out of his wits when he dropped all the way down the infernal ride into the water.

Maria did not go on any rides. Instead, she and Flash Yellow, Sara, just walked a round the park, getting to know each other. Sara apparently had a lead on her parents, but she wasn't positive. It took some encouragement from Maria to make her smile and recognize she could find them.

As for Hitomi, well, she's Hitomi. She dragged Flash Pink, Lu, into Fantasyland and took the alien Ranger on a bit of a ride, going to the carousel, and then riding on Dumbo and other rides that made Jul a little nervous, especially the Peter Pan one! Hitomi could only laugh as Jul remarked about how they were flying.

After a while, they started mixing things up. Sean and Maria had a chance to go on an impromptu date while Hitomi tackled her fear of ghosts with a very reluctant Aaron who had to shake his arm out after they got out of the Haunted Mansion. Rob and Bridget, well, they spent the day together, either with Tommy or without. They eventually settled into the Hall of Presidents, one of Rob's favorite attractions.

In the evening, they left the Magic Kingdom for Epcot, where the real party began. Why, you ask? Well, Epcot is the only park on the premises that serves alcohol.

Apparently, Disney isn't so square, after all (fifties slang FTW!)

They went straight for the Germany pavilion, which is where said alcohol is served, at the Biergarten buffet. As Jon saw the liquid being served to him (courtesy of a fake ID on behalf of SWORD), Sean wrapped his arm around his alien counterpart. "This is beer!" he said. "It is a very wonderful drink!"

"One you should be careful while drinking!" said Bridget. Sean said something about Bridget not being very fun and simply chugged some of his beer.

Well now they had some time to get to know each other. Serenaded by oom-pah versions of "Chelsea Dagger" and "Go Go Power Rangers", they sang a few football (soccer) chants as started by Kevin and talked amongst each other. The Flash Rangers sincerely apologized for their behavior and so did the GPX Rangers. Really, blame for their conflict fell on both sides.

When asked about why some alien plague had not spread across the Earth, Jon mentioned it was because by galactic law (which even the Zordonians followed, which is strange), any visiting party had to not only disinfect themselves, but immunize the entire population of a planet via the atmosphere (and better yet, no crazy side effects!). "Great, now we don't have to worry about piggy flu!" said Sean.

"Those vaccines only protect you from alien diseases," said Jon, "Native diseases must be dealt with by the native population."

Sean grunted and shouted "Aliens!" while making a hand gesture that will be made famous by another person proclaiming 'aliens'. But, that was a silly little moment. Sean instead decided to get to know his counterpart better. "So what's your story?" he asked.

"I was 5 when I was taken from my home," said Jon. "I don't remember who took me, though. I only have a vague memory from before my life on Flash, and I recall a language that sounds like the language they were speaking in the France pavilion."

"I take it you're probably French," said Sean. "How long has it been, 15, 20 years?"

Seventeen of your Earth years," said Jon. "Flash was the planet we were left on because they stopped the pirates who kidnapped us. We grew up on five different planets and we took on the abilities of the planets. Flash 5 is low-gravity, which is why Lu is able to jump so high and stay aloft."

"Which technically violates the laws of physics," said Sean.

"We are going to try and find our parents," said Bon. "But we're not sure where to start."

"SWORD should be able to find some leads," said Sean. "Talk to them, they might help you."

"We don't want any help," said Lu. "We—"

"Look, I get it!" said Sean, "But it doesn't have to be a lot, they can just give you some genetic leads and they'll let you find them."

"Do you really think so?" asked Jon.

"Of course," said Kevin.

The Flash Rangers looked at each other, discussing whether or not to accept SWORD's help (whether or not they come to the Flash Rangers). Speaking a language the GPX Rangers could not understand, they looked like they were coming to some kind of consensus… or at least that's what the GPX Rangers could tell. Bridget whispered in Sean's ear and he could only shrug in response. The other GPX Rangers tried to listen, but the language was related to no Earth language and/or linguistic family.

"We'll accept," said Jon.

"GREAT!" said Sean.

"But what are you going to do next?" asked Jon.

"Well, I got accepted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in March, and well, that was a big motivation yesterday," said Sean, "So I'll be going there to play some hockey. Hell, I'm lucky I was able to take all morning classes I had to register so late!"

"University… oh, we had a similar institution on Flash!" said Jon.

"Well, you probably know what goes on there!" said Sean. "And by the way, all of these idiots are coming with me!"

"Did you say that in case we forgot?" asked Maria.

"And to drive the point home to a certain newbie," Sean said as he glanced over at Aaron (who was awkwardly looking away).

"So am I an idiot?" asked Bridget.

"No, because you went to Northwestern and you're my sister," said Sean.

"That's right, and you'd better not forget it," said Bridge.

"Oh-kaaayyy, let's get down to drinking, again!" said Sean.

Actually, Bridget made them leave after a while because of the concerns about alcohol. On the way out of Epcot, they stopped by the Japan pavilion and got a look at the department store now under Miyazawa management. Hitomi bought kimonos for all the ladies, and Sean bought a katana just for the hell of it with the money he made being a Power Ranger.

They left the Epcot and went back to Magic Kingdom. They spent the rest of the night going on other rides before going back to Main Street USA around midnight. "What is the meaning of this?" asked Jon.

"You'll see," said Sean.

" _Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and welcome to the Magic Kingdom's Summer Nightastic Fireworks Spectacular!_ " said the PA announcer.

"Did he honestly just say that?" asked Sara.

"It's Disney, they milk the hell out of everything," said Sean (what, did you think I wasn't going to send a zinger their way!?)

" _We're thankful all of you could join us here today, especially after yesterday, and we're certainly thankful for the POWER RANGERS!_ " A big roar erupted for the crowd.

"That's us! That's us!" Kevin bragged while everyone else cheered, his voice drowned out by their noise.

"Oh, I'm going to miss this city," said Maria.

"Why?" asked Sean. "There're too many gangs around here."

"I know, but I got used to it," said Maria.

"The people are nice," said Aaron.

"Yeah, that's true," said Sean. "Speaking of which, what happened to your girlfriend, I think her name was Jasmine?"

"She was not my girlfriend!" Aaron corrected. "I found out yesterday. She escaped to Atlanta and she's going to stay there with her aunt and uncle before going to Howard University in the fall."

"Well, I heard it's a nice college," said Sean. "But, sorry about that."

"It's okay," said Aaron. "I'm not that disappointed."

"And speaking of which, Hitomi, what about Pola-Killer? Where'd he come from?" asked Sean.

"He'd made it as far as Gainesville and when he heard about the invasion, he asked someone to drive him here," said Hitomi.

"I thought he was a pacifist now," said Sean.

"He wanted to help!" said Hitomi.

"Okay, okay!" Sean said, putting his hands up to calm Hitomi down. Some fairy lady was talking on the PA system, but Sean was ignoring it. "So what about Rich Boy?"

"What, did you think he was going to be left out of this battle?" asked Hitomi. When she realized what he meant, she said, "Oh, I mean, he couldn't be here because this was our victory. He'll probably join us later."

"Fair enough," said Sean, "And I'm sorry for making you think I liked you in  _that_ way and for well, hurting your feelings."

"It's okay!" said Hitomi.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed, causing a cheer rising from the crowd. Then, several fireworks exploded from the direction of Cinderella Castle. The Flash Rangers immediately reacted, reaching for their morphers, but the GPX Rangers held them back. "Just relax," said Sean. "It'll be typical Disney, but this is completely harmless."

"Are you positive?" asked Jon.

"Hey, no one would be here if it was going to be hostile," said Sean. "Just enjoy the show."

Jon swallowed hard and nodded. Sean patted his counterpart on the back and looked back up at the fireworks show, which concerned fairies (for the girls) and pirates (for the boys). "You know who that is, Allie?" Rob asked to his daughter on his shoulders.

"FAIWY GODMOTHA!" she shouted.

"Sean, Maria, they're playing a waltz for you two!" Bridget said. Maria responded, making the reluctant Sean dance with her. When they turned around, Sean gave Bridget the Finger, but she simply laughed it off, thereby negating its effects.

"Did you just give your sister the Finger?" asked Maria.

"… No," Sean replied after a pause. Maria knew he was lying, but she didn't push the matter. When she turned and faced Bridget, she winked at her and mouthed something at her.

"Oh, she's going to make a good sister-in-law," said Bridget.

Maria didn't hear that. Once the waltz was over (it was short, much to Sean's relief) they stopped dancing, but Maria kept his arm on her shoulder.

"How are they telling a story?" asked Kai.

"Like I said, it's  _Disney_ ," said Sean. "It's just fireworks set to music."

"PIWATES!" Allie shouted.

"See who they're aiming it for?" said Sean. For those of you who might complain, she's  _three years old and watching a fucking fireworks show_! "Okay,  _that's_ impressive," he said when fireworks exploded out of the castle.

"TINKABELL!"

"Wow, she's really getting into this!" said Sean. And when he looked at Tommy, "Oh, I'm  _so_ gonna blackmail you!"

"HEY!" he shouted back.

"Relax," said Rob.

"HOW DID THEY DO THAT!?" Jon shouted.

"Oh my god, you're from a frickin' planet with technology that surpasses ours, and you're impressed with a light fixture going down a fucking line!?" Kevin shouted.

Fireworks erupted all around, signifying the grand finale. The fireworks appeared to wrap up, but the fairy godmother character on the PA said something about a certain special group.

Suddenly, they could hear a familiar tune being played. While the Flash Rangers looked a little confused, Sean knew instantly what it was. "It's the Power Rangers theme!" said Sean. Right as he said that, fireworks of red, blue, green, yellow, pink and gray lit up the night sky set to the tune of the theme song. The crowd roared again and smiles broke out across the faces of the Power Rangers.

Now they knew just how much they were appreciated. It was something they could be proud of. They'd saved the world from total destruction, having dealt with more than a few bumps on the road. Being a Power Ranger is never easy, of course. But moments like this, especially after the fireworks ended, told them that when it all came together, all the hardships, struggles, pain, anger, grief, blood, sweat, tears and yes, joy, were all worth it.

For that, they could be proud of themselves.

They'd fought hard and earned a major victory. Whatever came their way, they'd rise to face it head-on and will fight until they've won. They never quit, they never surrendered, and most importantly,  _they won_. They've got a power and a force no one had ever seen before. They had the ability to morph and even up their battles. No one could ever take them down; the power lies on their side!

GO, GO POWER RANGERS!

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

The End

And that's that! The end of "Power Rangers GPX"… or is it?


	19. Author's Notes

Power Rangers GPX: Author's notes

Okay, so how is everyone? I hope you enjoyed that part! I know I certainly did! However, the story of the GPX Rangers is far from over.

So this whole thing was pretty much inspired by watching  _Power Rangers RPM_ and deciding to give this a try. I tried to make it different from most fanfiction (to be honest, most fanfiction falls into the crappy territory. This one tries to avert that).

The alternate universe thing came about on a whim, but I think it's a better idea. I see so many bad fanfics saying things like "the next generation of Power Rangers" all that crap. I want to make mine different! So the alternate universe thing is a great way to really separate my story from the rest, as well as free it from the normal  _Power Rangers_ universe.

Basically, the original title was  _Power Rangers Sonic Force_. It was sort of jet-inspired, but I never really thought of any way I could make it any better, so I changed it from  _Sonic Force_ to  _Grand Prix Force_  and once that got silly, to  _GPX_  (because  _Grand Prix_ didn't work).

There were a few other differences, too. Sean and Kevin were at one point cousins, Sean and Seamus (Shea) O'Callahan, but I changed it because I didn't really like the idea of having two groups of relatives in the same team, so I made them simply friends. Also, Hitomi and Sean were originally supposed to get together, but that eventually changed and Maria became Sean's love interest after a while. Hitomi eventually changed from a 20-year-old to a naïve girl still in high school because I thought it fit her character.

The reason for the (imagined) appearances of the Zordonians was because, well, I thought they'd work better for  _Power Rangers_ than  _Sailor Moon_ , and because that series does a real fine job with humanoid enemies. I just like human and humanoid enemies better, really. Monsters have been overdone in  _Power Rangers_ , so I decided to shake things up.

There were also a few characters who I conceptualized, but never really made it to the paper. Originally, there were supposed to be actual named trainers who would help the Rangers, but they never really went anywhere. I also wanted to introduce Daisuke and Hitomi's grandmother, who was supposed to be xenophobic and bitter about Japan's loss in World War II (and where Daisuke got his borderline racist views from). I'm glad she never made it to paper.

There were also villains who never made it! One such villain was a character who would look like Sean and cause a little friction amongst the Rangers, who would think Sean was an alien. He, of course, never made it to paper.

As for the main characters, there are other differences. Most of them were simply little known tidbits I hadn't thought up while I was writing, but inserted them a little later. Sean was originally a veteran, but after some talking from my uncle (who is a veteran), I realized it was unfeasible and made Sean a civvy hockey player. The hockey thing was only added in early 2010 while I was watching Olympic hockey and decided that Sean as a hockey player would be a good idea, that eventually turned into his main obsession and goal in life. The veteran aspect has since been transferred over to Kevin and Rob, respectively.

Kevin was also around the same age as Sean, but I've changed Kevin to being, well, a couple years older than Sean, which is most evident in  _SIU_.

Heck, Aaron was supposed to be Egyptian! He and Sean would have butted heads over America's role in the Middle East, but I decided he would have made the team a little, well, bland. There's so many things I could have done, but in the end, this is the final product, and I'm pretty satisfied with it.

As for a third part, I had a few ideas. One idea was inspired by the Google Paris commercial, where they would have gone to Paris, Sean would have met some French girl and well,  _l'amour_. Another idea had them going to Dubai. I also conceptualized them going around the world to find other kids trained by Project Ranger, but it looks like that's not going to happen, sadly.

As for the story itself, it falls between a deconstruction and a reconstruction. It's a deconstruction because it shows just how tough being a Power Ranger  _is_. I mean, the Rangers really got lucky Rashon accepted Sean's duel challenge in episode 33, otherwise they'd have kept on going. Hell, the invasion itself deconstructs Power Ranger tropes, because the Zordonians showed they could annihilate us in an instant and the Power Rangers couldn't have done a thing!

But it's also a reconstruction for these reasons: The Rangers themselves are well-trained (albeit subtly) and mentally healthy individuals. Why, you ask? Well, here's why:

 _Neon Genesis Evangelion_.

That show influenced me in so many ways and not positively. I  _HAY-YAY-YAY-YAY-YAY-YAY-YAY-YAY-TED_ that show! Shinji Ikari pissed me off so much, that I set out to create the anti-Shinji: Someone who embraced his role as a hero, was mentally stable and not a whining little emo piece of shit. The result?

Sean.

Sean actually started off in a different fandom ( _Star Wars_ ) but here is where he really belongs.

The idea to train the Rangers, make them mentally stable and a whole set of support was to avert the failures of  _Evangelion_. Did anyone try to help Shinji? No! Did anyone ever try to train Shinji? No, they just threw him in the fucking cockpit and expected him to perform! While the therapists are off-screen in GPX, they're still important, and they'll probably help them recover from PTSD should they suffer from it.

The other bits of reconstruction are a little more subtle, but they're still pretty important, like the cables that keep the monsters in place as the megazord combines. A monster will try to attack them when they're at their weakest, so a few smart and savvy engineers would put those in so the megazord can transform.

And, of course, the big fucking epic ending battles, because that's what everyone comes to  _Power Rangers_ to see.

As for the lampshade hanging, it's still here, but I kind of forgot about it. I think the reason why is as it got more serious as the story went on, it went into different territory (although there were still some lampshade moments) and it really set its own course. I kind of like to think that  _GPX_ is one of the more unique  _Power Ranger_ fanfictions out there because of the characters, story, plot, themes and general feel. I mean, it's pretty dark, once you dig a little deeper, especially  _SIU_.

The Zordonians indeed could have wiped out Earth on the spot, but their obsession with the Rangers blinded them to it. In fact, I was originally gonna have them nuke Moscow! I toned it down (since I kinda forgot about it) but you can see how this was gonna be different. I mean sure,  _In Space_ and  _Time Force_ were pretty bleak and  _RPM_ was post-apocalyptic, but I think  _GPX_  is dark on the part of its more adult-leaning themes.

So, those are the notes and other little tidbits about the story. Oh, wait, you said I had an announcement? Oh, right! A-hem!

Ladies and gentlemen, here now, is a preview of what's coming next. Enjoy.

:-:-:-: Power Rangers GPX :-:-:-:

Sean: "I came to UW-Madison for a reason."

Maria: "So how are you going to make time for us?"

Sean: "That I'm still trying to figure out."

Maelstrom: "I think we're in trouble."

Unknown voice: "You're fools. Just because you beat the Zordonians doesn't mean you've proven yourselves in combat. You have no idea what you are in for."

TITLE CARD: RE-START YOUR ENGINES

Unknown voice: "Our time… has come."

TITLE CARD: POWER RANGERS GPX SUPERCHARGED

Aaron: "So are you—"

Sean: "Busy with a whole buncha shit? Oh, yeah."

:-:-:-: PRGPX :-:-:-:

So there, you have it! Announcing  _Power Rangers GPX Supercharged_. Also announcing  _Power Rangers GPX Madison Days_. Basically the timeline is going to split. The  _Supercharged_ timeline is a sequel involving the Rangers that will be on a bit of a smaller scale and set in Madison, Wisconsin, while  _Madison Days_  is basically just a slice-of-life piece where they won't have to deal with any new enemies, just to give them the peaceful ending they deserved.

So, are you excited yet? Let me know!

**Author's Note:**

> And so begins part 2! The opening episodes will be shorter than the last Part, since we already know the characters. However, I will still develop them as this story goes along.
> 
> Please leave a review. If you have any complaints, tell me politely and I'll try to address them. Flames and just plain purely negative reviews are not tolerated.
> 
> If you have any other questions related to the story, I suggest you read Part 1.


End file.
